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3 Beds 1 Bath - House | 3 Beds 1 Bath - House - $1,925.00 Newly remodeled three bedroom, one bath. Flooring is new and newly finished oak floors in bedrooms., Kitchen and bathroom refinished, with new stove as well as dishwasher. Attached one car garage for storage and laundry. Fenced back yard. Close to Costco and Interstate 5 in nice neighborhood. We will consider pets. Facebook Marketplace | CONTACT_US | https://facebook.com/marketplace/item/496625513211 | Kelly O'Brien | https://www.facebook.com/Kelly-OBrien-112764118595171/ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1969-12-31 18:00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Contact us | 0 | IMAGE | https://facebook.com/marketplace/item/496625513211671/ | 1969-12-31 18:00 | REGULAR_PAGE | 1 | 0 | 0 | Kelly O'Brien | 0 | 0 | 1969-12-31 18:00 | View Edit Delete | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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No | 2024-10-07 20:40 | active | 1591 | 0 | Building Wealth Workshop - Tickets Available! Oct 19th | We are 75% SOLD OUT - Don't miss this opportunity Are you ready to break into real estate and start building wealth through new construction, but feel overwhelmed by the complexity of the process? At the Building Wealth Workshop on October 19th in Atlanta, we're eliminating the guesswork. Here's What You'll Learn: ✅ Streamlining Your Process ✅ Protect Your Assets ✅ Real Estate Funds & Passive Investing ✅ Building Business Credit: ✅ Land Evaluation and so much more! Seats are limited, so reserve your spot now and take the first step toward mastering real estate with experts by your side! Limited Time Offer! Click (Sign Up) to get started | SIGN_UP | https://membership.buildingbuildersacademy.com/mai | Building Builders Academy | https://www.facebook.com/61554711884633/ | 185 | 0 | 0 | 1969-12-31 18:00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Sign up | 0 | membership.buildingbuildersacademy.com | VIDEO | https://membership.buildingbuildersacademy.com/main-page-1121-5421-6938-9117-7862 | 1969-12-31 18:00 | https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/462186623_1168726271263711_4216537094029180463_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=110&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=rjhmvrhB1DMQ7kNvgHCUdcH&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=Al2q5ewH3eBmy-Css_IiJUy&oh=00_AYDRHkB98M7KtzLYGHneRI-hv7kl_LrJclIN18d9B500iA&oe=670A6433 | PERSON_PROFILE | 0 | 0 | 0 | Building Builders Academy | 0 | 0 | 1969-12-31 18:00 | View Edit Delete | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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A Very Spicy & Sweet Spooky Romcom | DOWNLOAD | https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CYH25VQM?maas=maas_adg | Kelly Finley Books | https://www.facebook.com/KellyFinleyBooks/ | 861 | 0 | 0 | 1969-12-31 18:00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Download | 0 | amazon.com | IMAGE | Halloween For Six: A Lots of Friends To Lovers Romance | https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CYH25VQM?maas=maas_adg_4709369E25F48A7B2CADEAD209267B45_afap_abs&ref_=aa_maas&tag=maas | 1969-12-31 18:00 | https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/462181881_500003703009747_4640714754086589712_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=111&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=TntjkkiLhQwQ7kNvgGURUd2&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=AHqp21wP-Zd9s4IED-RoAoc&oh=00_AYBtGvl1Q5hww4JRAvNU3PYQ251zMw9ejNWhJXAWwIok3Q&oe=670A3F9D | PERSON_PROFILE | 0 | 0 | 0 | Kelly Finley Books | 0 | 0 | 1969-12-31 18:00 | View Edit Delete | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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No | 2024-10-07 20:48 | active | 1592 | 0 |
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🔥🔥Click to read the next chapter for free👉 | Chapter 1 IRENE'S POV My chast heaved with rapid breaths, my eyes fluttered close. My lips fell open and a moan squeezed past my throat. My fingers were working overtime as I pushed them in and out of my wetness with my legs spread apart in bed. I bit the corners of my lips as I threaded my fingers through my hair, gripping them a bit hard like I suspected he would. I imagined his hands on me instead. His long fingers sliding in and out, coated with my juices. He would stroke my insides while holding my legs apart. "Karson," I moaned when his image was all I could see. I reached out my hand to touch him. To touch his rock hard body and trail my fingers down his chast to the V-line where his towel had hung loose. His scent was buried in my memory. All it took was one sniff and here I was, moaning to this man and bucking my hiips. He looked so much better. His face was more defined and he grew so handsome in a short while. His shoulders were broad and wide. He had a perfect figure and toned body. I increased my pace and I gasped when I found it. I slapped a hand over my mouth. The rising heat in the lower part of my stomach increased. Tears rolled down my face. I craved his touch, his fire. My body ached for his attention, the warmth in his eyes, I desired nothing more- My toes curled and I jerrked my hiips as my body convulsed. I bit into my palm as my orggasm rolled out of me. It took a while to recover. I was breathing hard and trying to gather myself again. This was the state he left me in. every single time we bumped into each other. Just a whiff of his scent and I was squirming for his touch. I almost felt terrible for including him in my little session but he was all I could think about. I've been masturbatting frequently now. My mating ceremony to the man of my fantasies was today. One part of me was pleased and happy with the fact that I would have my long time dream come true; being mated to Karson. He was the soon to be Alpha of The Nightcrawlers Pride. I didn't care about his title, that wasn't the reason I loved him. With or without his title, I was bound to be drawn to him. While one part was pleased, the other part was devastated. As much as I wanted to be his mate, I wasn't. Even worse, Karson seemed to think that I had bewitched Luna- his mother- into arranging our marriage. "She's wolfless, mother," he had said during dinner tonight. His contempt was loud, his mock even louder. I withdrew my hands from the table and hid them under with my head lowered at the usual confrontation. "I know," Luna Teresa's reply was calm like she was unaffected by her son's cruel words. I wished his words wouldn't affect me at all. Yet every time he opened his mouth, I was close to tears. Maybe if I loved him any less, I would have tougher skin and wouldn't be running to my room crying like a three year old. He was right. I was wolfless. It wasn't impossible for a werewolf not to have a wolf, it was just rare to find and even rarer for that wolfless wolf to be Luna, ruling over a powerful pack as The Nightcrawlers Pride. According to the book of records in the Pack, I would be the first wolfless Luna. While breaking a record didn't seem too bad, this wasn't exactly the kind of record I would be boastful of. "Yet you would subject your only son and heir to the Pride Family Pack to this fate?" Karson had asked his mother in an accusing tone that made me stop feeling sorry for myself but sorry for her. A wolfless mate meant one of two things; There was a high chance of birthing a wolfless pup and there was a lower chance of birthing a pup- in this case, the next Alpha. I squeezed my dress in a fist. The pressure that was upon my shoulders was more than anyone could ever imagine. "I have strong faith in our genes," Aunt Teresa- as I'd come to know her, smirked. "After all, your father's family were all Alpha's, down to his mother. So you're from a thick and strong Alpha bloodline. I have faith in you-" "My goodness!" Karson huffed in disbelief. "Can you hear yourself, mother? You're betting everything away for her?" I wanted the soft dining chair that had suddenly grown cold under my bvtt to swallow me. "What’s so special about her anyways!" I've heard that before. It shouldn't be anything new. I've cried my eyes out to those words yet every time he asked, it was a whole different feeling than I had bargained for. I was plain. I had no scent, no wolf, no family. There was literally nothing to my name. All I had was everything Aunt Teresa had given to me since I was five. My parents died in a war and Luna had been so kind as to take me in. She couldn't recall my last name so she gave me Pride instead. I was already sharing a last name with the man I came to love. Karson and I lived under the same roof. Growing up around him had been okay. He never showed me this hate, he never even spoke to me except when we were at the table. But ever since he returned from his training where he stayed away to be Alpha for three years, things had gone down the drain. "This is your doing, isn't it?" I stiffened at his words and finally lifted my gaze. The anger and hate in his eyes was enough to let a tear slide down my eye. He was convinced I had bewitched Luna. After all, why would she decide to kil her own bloodline that had been passed down for years? I quickly wiped my eyes. I didn't want Luna to notice plus Karson would scold me and be cross at me if his mother confronted him about making me cry. I fear he was already running from my reach before I could even stretch out my hands. "I'm sorry, I have no hand in this," I said either way, knowing fully well that he wouldn't believe me. "Don't apologize for things that are beyond your control, Irene," Aunt Teresa wiped her mouth with her napkin and rose to her feet. "You two will be just fine. The mating ceremony is in a few days. Get to know yourselves a lot better," with her little advice, she walked away, allowing fear to step in. Karson would eat me alive now that we were alone. I wanted to run after Aunty but I knew it would be childish- "Don’t get any ideas in your head," Karson stated and I turned my attention to him. His words pierced me like a hot thin needle. "You're only my mother's choice. Once I find my mate, I'll have her as my Luna and you'll step down." I gulped and started to nod slowly at his words. "I don't need you to agree, Irene," he scoffed, reminding me that I didn't have a choice and that he called all the shots. "That's just the way it's supposed to be. Think of this as a way of repaying my mother's kindness all those years." Karson got up and walked out of the table. I tried my hardest to understand him. I guess, in a way, his hate was justified. He returned from his Alpha training only to discover he was arranged to be married. He was stripped of the chance to find his mate and he was stuck with someone as useless as myself. His words, his attitude had screamed one thing. 'Know your place, Irene,' and I read the message loud and clear. **************** Our mating ceremony was a long and torturous one for me. The Pack congratulated us endlessly and the smile I plastered on my face should leave a mark by morning. Karson stood stiffly by my side. We were now the new Alpha and Luna of The Nightcrawlers Pride and we were expected to carry out our duties immediately. While no one would say it, I knew that the 'baby making process' was expected as well. We headed to our new room to commence and mark the final activity for the mating ceremony. A day that I had looked forward to all my life. I was nervous and it didn't seem like a good one. I didn't know what to expect but I was already wet, my niples had rolled into tight buds and they tried to gain attention and drill a hole through my outfit. I stepped into the room before him. "I'll be right back," he said and I nodded, closing the door behind me. Immediately, I dashed to the bathroom and took a shower. I couldn't afford this moment to be ruined. I wrapped the towel around my chast and got out of the shower. My heart hammered in my chast. Karson was staring at me with his undivided attention. His gaze dropped lower and I tightened my hand around my towel. The air was thick and in an instant, he was taking long strides towards me. I met him half way and while my hands reached out to touch his face and pull him into a kiss, his hand grabbed my towel and he yanked it off. I gasped in shock but his hands grabbed my brreasts. I was immediately enveloped in the feel of him. I wrapped my hands around his back as he licked and softly nibbled on my hard niples. His rough hands trailed down my body and kicked my legs apart. He slid two fingers into my core and I gasped at the sudden intrusion. "How are you so wet?" He mumbled to himself. I couldn't breathe. His fingers were bigger than mine so they stretched me more than I had ever done to myself. I felt so full and I hadn't even had the real thing yet. He pumped into me hard and fast, soon my legs shook and my eyes were fluttering close. "Karson," I wanted it now. I wanted it right now. I wanted his shaft filling me up and I wanted his bite mark over my neck. "Fvcking hel, Irene!" He cursed and roughly pulled out his fingers. He grabbed my wrist and made me climb the bed, he pressed a hand to my waist and I knew what he wanted. I stayed ass up, face down. I was exposed to him in that position with my legs spread apart. I gripped the sheets beside my head and waited impatiently. The sound of his zipper fuelled my rising hunger and soon I felt something cold and hard poke at my entrance. Suddenly alarmed, I started to rise, "Karson, wait I've never-" He thrust his full length into me and my jaw dropped open. "Fvck! How are you so...tight!" Karson forced those words through his teeth. The sharp pain I felt was overwhelmed by the pleasure that came soon after. I felt him all the way to the back of my throat. My insides were stretched to their limit and when he pulled out and slammed back in, hard and fast, a tear rolled down my cheek. It was more than I had imagined. It was blissful. I could almost see it. The way he pulled back with my juices coating his shaft, inviting him to slam back in and when he did, I could only chew my lip and let out moans of pleasure. Our first night was pure fvcking and nothing else. I gripped the sheets as he grabbed my waist to meet and take his every thrust. I was gasping for breath and his thrusts were faster, shorter and harder. I wondered how it was even possible to move his hiips like that. I could barely catch my breath. If I died today, I would die a happy, wolfless wolf who finally married the man of her dreams. I needed his bite mark. "Karson," I managed to get the words out in between gasps and moans. My or9asm was sudden and instant. My body shook and convulsed as he kept up his thrusts. I squeezed my eyes shut as the electricity rolled through my vibrating core, clenching down hard on him and svcking him in. He grew harder under in an instant and I soon felt something warm in my belly and his shaft pulsed like a heart pumping. My body was spent and I was too weak to open my eyes. He pulled out and I let out a weak moan. I waited for his touch to find me but the only thing I heard were his footsteps and soon, the sound of the door opening and then closing- announcing his departure. Karson had left without leaving his mate bite behind. Chapter 2 IRENE'S POV I threw my head over her legs as I sobbed like a child. Her gentle pat landed on my head, over and over again. "It's going to be alright, Irene," Aunt Teresa said in a soothing voice. I shook my head against her hand. I could hear my heart breaking at his rejection and words of comfort reached nowhere near to piecing my heart together. "I mean it, Irene," Aunt Teresa sighed. She was adamant on making me feel good this morning. After Karson walked out of the room, he was yet to return and I just couldn't stand the terrible feeling that plagued my heart. So here I was in Aunt's room, crying my eyes out. "Don't shed so many tears, Irene. Your eyes will be puffy," she grabbed my face and jerrked my head up. I could barely see her through my blurry vision but her face was in a small pout and her brows were knitted in a frown. Her long black hair was let down and she looked like a goddess. "Look at you," she sighed. "You're so pretty, don't ruin your face, Irene." She wiped my tears with her thumb and pressed her lips to my forehead in a kiss. I closed my eyes as I tried to relax into it but more tears only poured out when I remembered that Karson didn't even kiss me. I 9roaned, throwing my head back as I sobbed even harder. "He didn't- hic- he avoided- hic- I don't know why- hic- but he didn't- hic-" "Stop crying, Irene. I can't make out your words-" "He didn't make out with me!" I cried harder and stopped to swallow the lump in my throat before I continued again. "It's because I'm wolfless and I'm not even his mate! I have nothing- he hates me," "He doesn't hate you," She tried to assure me. "He just doesn't understand-" "Understand what?" I cried. "I don't understand either. Make me understand-" "Irene!" She grabbed my face again and stared into my eyes. "You can't force your destiny. When the time is right, you'll understand. I have faith in you, Irene." I didn't even have faith in myself but her tone was convincing and the way she stared at me with no joke. She wiped my tears again and I didn't have the heart to produce any more. "Trust me, my dear. You're Luna now and I'm sure you'll be more powerful than ever before." **** I held onto her words and made them my strength but as the days rolled by, my frustration was beyond me that I would lock myself in my room- as Karson never returned- and cried. Our matrimonial bed had become my personal bed. The room we were supposed to share was now my own room. The only time we bumped into each other was during breakfast where we ate in silence or going past his office to mine. The Luna position came with a lot of responsibility and I was still being eased into it. But with Karson's attitude still on my mind, I was always mentally and emotionally stressed by the end of each day. "Luna, is everything alright?" I snapped out of my thoughts at the Beta's voice. Wayne stared at me with a worried look. He had been in my office for a few minutes now but I could hardly recall the issue he had raised. "I'm sorry," I hurriedly apologized and dropped my pen on the desk, giving him my full attention. "I'm fine. You were saying?" He didn't look the least convinced but he had to go on either way. He smiled and the wrinkles around his mouth stretched. He had gotten very old over the years, I guess it was time for him to retire but that was his and Karson's decision to make. "Maybe you should get some rest later,"he suggested and I could only offer him a smile. "I was asking your opinion about weapon storage in the Pack. While we don't have any impending threats, I was thinking it wouldn't be bad to restock and increase our budget." "A few of our warriors with friends from other packs have mentioned the endless amount of weapons over there. I'm afraid they feel ours is lacking behind," he explained. "I understand. But having an endless amount of weapons calls for a higher maintenance budget. If we do that, the tax will increase, the pack members will suffer and all we'll have are weapons while exploiting others," I sighed. "We're building a nation not a military zone. Even during war, we can have enough money and gain the upper hand." "I'm afraid I'll have to decline the request to stock more weapons. Instead, could we cover it by high maintenance of what we already have?" I suggested. Beta Wayne was already nodding with a satisfied smile on his face, "Yes, that could work. You're right. You're a blessing to us, Irene. Our budget is in safe hands. Our Alpha is really lucky to have you by his side." I smiled in response to his words and watched him excuse himself. It was only fair to have brains, in my opinion. After discovering I was wolfless, I trained myself in other ways to help strengthen the Pack and I knew I was successful each time I received praises. Even worse, there was something strange that I had started to notice. Wayne's daughter visited Alpha Karson every day. "Where is the Alpha, Joan?" I asked the maid that served my tea. "He's in his office, Luna," she fidgeted for a while, biting her lip. "With who?" I already knew what she wanted to say. The thought of her answer was already making me squeeze the document I was holding. "Lexie, Luna Irene," she replied in a murmur. I offered her a smile, "Thank you. You can go now." She bowed before rushing out of my office. I leaned back on my seat with a hand over my face and a tired sigh leaving my lips. Her constant visits to the Alpha's study was becoming alarming. They spent every minute together and he rarely had lunch or dinner with me. Her giggles were loud and every time I heard it, I could hear my heart breaking but I would lift my chin and wear a smile. I had loved Karson for years and a little thing like this shouldn't be able to shake me. I shrugged it off my shoulders and tried to concentrate on my duties. I successfully distracted myself till evening but soon came the migraines that were impossible to ignore. I called it a night and started to walk down the hallway. When I approached Karson's door, my heart began to pound. I wondered if he was still in and if he was with her. It was almost 9p.m already and she was supposed to be at home. Besides, I was yet to have dinner and I wondered if he had eaten too. He had successfully avoided me for a whole month, sharing his attention between his work and Lexie. It was strange to think about but I didn't want to ponder on that. Especially when my thoughts would play detective, questioning itself if she was his mate or not. But she wasn't of age yet for him to find out. That was the only thread of hope that I clung onto. "Maybe I could ask if we could have dinner together," I wondered and I slowed down when I got to his door. Karson's scent was faint but it tickled my nose either way, making my niples hard and my core already wet. Being wolfless, I could hardly distinguish between people by their scent nor could I smell everyone but Karson's scent was one I had thought myself to remember. His scent was like wild roses in an open field while Aunt Teresa's scent was warm and sunny. I cherished the little gift I had from having two werewolf parents as Aunt Teresa had told me. We never spoke much about them and I wondered why. All I knew was that they were good people who would do anything for the ones they loved. Sometimes, I wondered if they didn't love me enough to stay alive. Exhaling softly, I held the cold door knob of Karson's office and I pushed it open. "Karson, I was wondering if you'd like to have dinner with-" The rest of the words died in my throat. My eyes widened and I heard my own heart shatter. Dizziness washed over me and my knees wobbled but I gripped the door hard to keep standing. Karson had Lexie in his arms in a hug while he backed her against his desk. His mouth was on her neck and the way she held onto him tightly as if she was in slight pain, I could already tell what was going on. The mate bite he had refused to give me, he was bestowing it upon her. He had marked her without even stopping to consider our mating ceremony- Was she... No! I shook my head even as my thoughts already confirmed it. My lips trembled as tears filled my eyes at the realization. Karson was hel bent upon meeting his mate. He hates our arranged marriage because he didn't have the chance to find his destined mate. She was his mate. The sight before my eyes was growing on my pierced heart that continued to shatter even more. The sight burned right into my head that I was sure I could never forget it even if I were to lose my memory today. I would at least remember that the only man I had ever loved, had finally found his mate and I was nothing to him. I stepped away from the door like it would explode at any minute. "You're only my mother's choice," his words before our mating ceremony began to hunt me. My breathing became ragged and I clutched my chast, tugging at the neck of my dress as I found it hard to breathe. I staggered backwards with eyes wide in horror. I turned and ran into my room, slamming the door behind me. I sagged to the floor with my knees hunched up to my chast. My hands shook and so did my shoulders. The tears fell and all I could do was stare into my palm before slowly placing it over my face. Chapter 3 IRENE'S POV The pain I felt was like a deep hollow of nothingness that delved deeper and deeper even when I tried not to think about last night. The image was engraved in my head. I hadn't slept a wink. I sat up in my bed all night with my thoughts all over hel's half acre. My shoulders were slumped and my hair was let loose to drop down, covering the side of my face. There was a knock on my door but I didn't lift my eyes from the sheets. The knock sounded again and it took a while to recover. I lifted my gaze and sighed, drilling a hole into the door. I didn't want any visitors. I simply wished to sit in my bed all day but that couldn't happen. I muttered a weak "come in," and mentally mocked my sorry tone. "Luna?" A maid stepped in and I locked eyes with her. She gasped with her eyes going wide for a brief second before she lowered her eyes. Did I really look that bad in just one night? "B-breakfast has been served and the Alpha's mother has asked me to come fetch you," she stuttered. "I see," I sighed again and started to drag myself out of bed. My knees were weak from holding me up. "Bring out something for me to wear and... Some make-up for my face." "Y-Yes, Luna!" I showered quickly and dressed up fast. When I stared into the mirror, I shook my head at my sorry self. My eye bags were bad and there were dark circles too. I looked like I had been crying all night. The maid helped in applying the pancake and covering it up. I thanked her and rushed for breakfast after practicing my smile in the mirror. I was going to act like there was no weight in my heart and no turbulence in my head. But my smile froze when I got to the table. Lexie was laughing with Aunty and Karson had a smile on his face while he ate- that was something that had never happened. "Oh, Luna," Lexie's voice was high and she sounded elated. "You're here. We've been waiting for you. Breakfast is almost cold." She was a very pretty young woman with bob brown hair, an oblong face, love shaped bow lip and her body figure was very matured. Her b00bs were bigger than mine and so were her legs. This was probably Karson's type. What was she doing here? Why was she here? She had no right to be here- unless... "Lexie, here, joined us for breakfast," Aunt explained. She probably read the confusion on my face. "Sorry, if it's uncomfortable for you," Lexie said and nervously rubbed her hand on her neck. I saw it. She knew I saw it. The band-aid on her neck was no joke. I had lost Karson and she was making that clear. **** She didn't have breakfast with us every other day. It was just that one time but it sent a clear message to me. My days in his life were numbered. I went down for breakfast with a thudding heart and anxiousness in my womb. Their silence was taking a toll on me. I wondered if it was their plan to drive me mad so they could find an excuse to kick me out but Karson didn't need an excuse to get rid of me. He could do it whenever he wanted since he had found his mate. So why was he holding back? Why were they keeping their affair a secret? My thoughts were ferocious and they showed no mercy. A minute of idleness and I was sinking deep into depression. I picked up more work than usual. An attempt to keep my mind occupied and busy was starting to weigh down on me. I left my office by 2a.m. every day, only to return by 8a.m. I had no complaints whatsoever but after a week, I noticed the workload started to reduce. The usual heap of files I arranged for myself were halved and I was rounding off sooner than I wanted. "Raphael, why is there so little work to do?" I voiced my complaints to the Gamma of the Pack. He was arranging a few files for me to check out and I was already frowning at how little they were. "Shouldn't you be happy?" He asked instead. "You've been working too much of late," he was one of the few who could speak freely to me despite my Luna title. He was a good friend of mine despite still being Karson's Gamma. "I'm not complaining," I told him. "What happened to all the work?" I wanted to sink into work and nothing more. It was my only means of escape at this point. "Well, Alpha Karson shared some of your Luna duties to Lexie-" "What?" I must've misheard. I refused to believe my ears. "What did you just say?" Raphael met my gaze with caution. He was probably debating whether or not to repeat that. In the end, he did. "But, I don't understand... Am I doing something wrong? Did I make a mistake somewhere-" "No, never. Irene, you're perfect. You've been doing everything right from the very beginning," he encouraged, pulling me out from the hands of criticism that my thoughts had wrapped around me. "Then why? I am Luna. Only Luna should handle Luna affairs," I said more to myself, trying to understand the situation and give reasons why it wasn't even making any sense. Raphael glanced away for a moment and my heart sank. "You've been noticing it too, haven't you?" "I'm sorry. I didn't want to tell you so you wouldn't worry so much," He made an apologetic face. "I simply carried out the order. Maybe you could ask him sometime," he suggested. "Would you like to go for a walk? To clear your mind at least?" This was happening too fast for me to wrap my head around. I swallowed hard as I looked around my office. Since when was there a deputy Luna? What was Karson's aim in all of this? Was he trying to ridicule my position or make me know my place? I nodded and he smiled, turning away immediately. "Would you like ice cream or sandwich along the way-" "R-Raphael?" I called and stepped out from behind my desk. He was already at the door when he turned to face me. " Let's go for a smooke break instead," I needed another form of distraction since Karson had taken this one away from me. "What do you mean?" He asked, sounding suspicious. "I want to smooke too." ***** My workload reduced as my deputy Luna took her work seriously. Day by day I did less work but I occupied myself with smooking in my bathroom whenever I could. It was relaxing and it helped me let out some steam. I was in my room by 6pm. that evening, smooking again when I heard a knock on the door. I froze for a moment, looking at the door with furrowed brows. I wasn't expecting anyone. Plus Karson never came here. He had his own room now. "Who is it-" "Irene, dear? Can I come in?" Aunt Teresa's voice had me slamming the ci9arette on the ashtray. I carried it to the bathroom and dumped it in the sink. I rushed out and grabbed my perfumes, spraying the air with my heart beating wildly in my chast. After I sniffed the air and made sure the ci9arette smell was gone, I took a deep breath and opened the door. Her shiny face and warm smile came into view. She stood in a composed manner with her head tipped up. Aunty could never be caught without the aura and grace of a queen. I ushered her in with more enthusiasm than normal and I hoped she wouldn't notice. "You finished your duties a little early. That's good. Why didn't you come over to my room so we could talk?" She wondered, heading to the dropped curtains. "It's quite dark in here," she mumbled to herself and spread the curtain open. I raised a hand to shield my eyes from the light. I preferred the dark and gloomy area. It was a perfect place to hide my shame. How could I even look at myself in the mirror and call myself a Luna? I was a sorry excuse for one. "I didn't want to disturb you with my issues," I intertwined my fingers over my legs as I stood by the door with my eyes on the floor of where she was. She turned her body in my direction, "Oh? That's a first. Is something going on?" Something? More than enough was going on and I doubted Aunty even knew half of it. "Not at all," I shook my head. If Karson wouldn't tell her, then I wouldn't dare to mention it. Aunt Teresa was a supportive mother to both Karson and I. I wondered how she would react to Karson finally finding his mate. I wouldn't want to put her at a crossroad. Actually, I think I just couldn't bear the thought of Aunt Teresa picking Lexie over me. It hurt that Karson already did but it would hurt me more and rip my heart out if the only mother figure I've known all my life were to discard me like I meant nothing. "It's your birthday tomorrow," she announced. "Did you forget?" "Oh," a day I had always looked forward to was now insignificant to me. "I guess I did." She sighed, "Perhaps are you working too much, Irene?" I almost scoffed with my vision blurred with tears, "No, that's impossible. I'm not even doing nearly enough." "What do you mean? You work everyday and you're doing good," she defended. "Are you crying again?" I couldn't help it. My chin was trembling as I tried to hold back my tears. It felt as though a dam was about to break. I felt like a worthless piece of crap. Karson couldn't even trust me with Luna duties anymore, he handed them over to that other woman. What was I thinking? I was actually the "other woman" in their relationship. I was an outsider who could never take the place of his mate. Not that I even wanted to try- far from it! I just wanted Karson to acknowledge my love for him and my efforts to make him happy and satisfied. Was that really too much to ask? I was in Aunt Teresa's embrace by the time I recovered myself. She wrapped her arms around me as I tried to control my sobs. "Don't doubt yourself so much, my dear. Everything will be just fine," she reassured and I nodded even though I knew things wouldn't be fine. They would only get worse and worse with each passing day. I made up my mind to confront Karson about what he had done rather than allow myself to wallow and sink further into self pity and doubt. Aunt Teresa left after informing me she would be returning from a short trip tomorrow evening to celebrate my birthday with me. I took a shower and by evening I was heading to Karson's room. My head was throbbing from a dull headache that had become a constant thing every evening for a week now and my temperature was quite high. I made it to Karson's room and after practicing controlled breathing up to five times, I knocked. "Come in," his voice was soft and it made my heart melt. For a second there I wondered if he was expecting someone else. I walked into his room with his scent hitting me first. It's been a while since I stepped into his personal space. The last time I did that, I nearly had a heart attack from what I saw. Karson was seated on his king sized bed with his head turned to a document. He had moved back to his old room. While everything was familiar in here, the one thing that wasn't was this hot man in nothing but his dark blue pants. I almost drooled just by staring at his chast and bulging muscles. When next would I get to touch his body- "I suppose you didn't come here to stare, right?" His voice interrupted my thoughts and gone was the soft tone that I had received outside the door. He was back to his usual self and cold tone especially with the way he gazed at me with no atom of smile on his face. I summon my courage, "Right. I came because I need answers. You handed part of my duties to Lexie and I'd appreciate it if you could tell me why." His brow arched in a silent question, "It's been a week already. Why is it suddenly so important to know?" He was right. I had taken too long to question him. I should've headed into his office the first time I heard the news. "I know. I've only been wondering if there was something I wasn't doing right," I stated while trying to keep a straight face. "So I took the time to look inwards and question myself-" "There's no need for you to do that, Irene," he tilted his head. "You've managed the Packs finances very well while making sure there's adequate supply of everyone's needs." His compliment left me stunned as I never expected it from him. "Then," I took a step closer. "Why is Lexie acting as a deputy Luna? It is unheard of that Luna's duties are given to someone else. Is there something I should know-" "If that'll be all, I'd like to get back to my duties now. As you can see," he lifted the document slightly. "I'm still occupied." I gaped at him in shock. He was openly dismissing my question about Lexie. Was this what it had come to? "It's my birthday tomorrow," I announced with my eyes on the sheets, wondering if he had ever taken Lexie here and did to her what he did with me during the night of our mating ceremony. Was he more pasionate and gentle? Did he hold her after- I let out a harsh breath as there was nothing but silence. He had turned his attention back to his work and it showed that I wasn't needed here anymore. I quietly left his room and I doubted he even noticed that I was gone. I spent the night with a high fever and a headache but by morning after throwing up a few times, I realized what my condition was. I threw out the ci9arettes and got rid of the ash tray. I got naked and stood in front of a mirror. My breests were fuller and my niples had spread and were wider. Karson would've noticed if he had spared me a minute or more of his time for a little visit. I needed to get out of here. This place was no longer my home. It was only a matter of time before Karson would welcome his mate to his side and she would be made Luna as soon as possible. There was nothing left for me here; not in the pack and not even by his side. I did the only thing I could do at this point; the only thing Karson would appreciate and probably love me for someday... I ran. Chapter 4 IRENE'S POV FIVE YEARS LATER "Carl! Karin! Mummy's leaving!" The nanny announced with a loud voice and in less than two seconds, two preschoolers ran out with their chubby cheeks. The boy- Carl- was holding his favorite dinosaur toy with his black hair disheveled on his head. His smile was wide as he ran out and his arms opened wide while Karin- the girl- had her usual frown on her face. She practically glared at everything as she approached. I squatted before the couch as they approached me. I wrapped my arms around them, pulling them into a hug when they got closer. "M-Mummy," Carl stuttered excitedly. When I pulled away and stared into their faces, Karin was wearing a smile. She only ever smiled when she was around me. The nanny was already complaining that she was scared of her. But what could a four year old do to a full grown woman? "Karin, did you pull your brother's hair again?" I arched my brows and she tensed with her smile freezing on her face. Her dark hair was in two ponytails. I wondered how long it had taken Nanny May to successfully do that. She shook her head aggressively and I glanced at Carl who was already playing with his dinosaur. Ignoring our conversation like it was past tense to him. "Are you lying?" I tried again and when she nodded, I covered my face with a smile. "Your honesty is appreciated but you have to stop pulling his hair. You'll turn him into an old man." I could feel my wolf smiling proudly as we stared at the duo who almost never got along. It almost reminded me of the relationship I had with their father. "Anyways!" I said to my pups and to my thoughts but that got their attention anyways. "I'm leaving-" "Where?" Karin's frown was back on her face- she was the bossy one- and Carl looked like he was about to start crying. "N-No no, I'll be back soon, I promise. I have to meet up with the Alpha," I touched their cheeks and brought them closer for a kiss. "Remember, do not shift before anyone except me, okay?" I repeated the only rule we had and they nodded in silence. "Thank you, baby," I kissed their foreheads and spoke loudly this time, "Make sure to listen to Nanny May, okay?" But they were already running away before I could get the words out. I stepped out of the house with a weird feeling in my chast. It always felt this way whenever I had to leave them with anyone even for a second. Especially now that I'd be away for two nights. I trusted the twins not to break the rule but it was concerning to think about. They were only four years old. Since when did four year olds start to shift? Heck! I didn't even get my wolf until after I gave birth. It was a whole new experience for me, especially trying to connect with her. The link between us was like a thin thread but it had gradually advanced over the years. "Ready to go?" I was pulled out of my thoughts at the sound of my Alpha's voice. A bulky man with light brown skin and wild hair. Despite being in his thirties, he didn't look a day over twenty. He still looked so young and agile. Alpha Lucas was leaning over his Jeep and I rushed to him. We got into the car and drove down to where the meeting was supposed to take place. It was the third cross pack meeting our Pack would hold after five years and I was really looking forward to it. I had received his orders to participate and I had already prepared my speech but my stomach still tied itself in a knot due to nervousness. It had been a long time since I was made to handle such responsibility. I knew I was once Luna for The Nightcrawlers Pride and I delivered speeches to the Pack during the time I was there but that was a long time ago. We arrived at the hotel scheduled for the meeting in less than two hours and the hall was already filled with Alpha's of different pack's and their Beta's, talking and catching up while others were getting to know each other. "You look nervous," Alpha Lucas leaned down to whisper close to my ears. I blinked up at him, a bit uncomfortable by his sudden closures and he smiled, taking a step back. "Is it that obvious?" My cheeks were flushed from the idea of everyone reading my body language. I had gained a few of their attention but I lifted my head and avoided their gaze. I knew how Alpha's could get with their ego's. I wouldn't want to step on toes here. "Only to me," he shrugged. "But you look elegant and calm like a Luna," he complimented and I smiled tightly at the use of that title. No one in The Howlers Pack knew of my past. When I ended up here five years ago, I was almost knocked over by his car. He took me in as a rogue who had decided to acknowledge an Alpha and we've not once talked about my past, not even when I found out I was pre9nant. "You say the loveliest things to me, Alpha Lucas," I told him and I really meant it. He was like that guardian angel that kept cheering me on. "You know I would say even lovelier things and do much more for you if you agree to be my mate," he tried again with a daunting smile on his lips. He was a very good looking man who could get away with anything if he smiled. It was sad to know he lost his mate several years ago and he never spoke about her. He was convinced I was his second chance mate and he had been trying, for what three to four years now? I had lost count of how many times he had tried to convince me but each time I repeated the same old lines. "You're talking to a-" "...a brick wall whose heart can never beat again," he rolled his eyes as he finished my lines. "I know, I know. I've heard that before. Sometimes I wish I could find the basstard who dared to break your heart and make him pay." I laughed, placing a hand on his arm. It was funny hearing him say that and also very sweet. He cared deeply about me and I knew I could never repay his kindness in the way he wanted. "Can I see the list of Pack's that'll be attending?" I asked, changing the topic and he went along with it. He handed me a book that had all the twenty lists of Pack names with their Alpha and I scanned them. Eighteen out of twenty had already ticked in while two were left out. "Black Might Pack- Alpha John and Beta Phillip," I mumbled, reading to myself. "And The Nightcrawlers Pride," I froze and stopped breathing. I caught a whiff of something familiar in the air. It sparked memories that I had sought to bury. The scent of wild rose filled my nose and I gulped as I slowly lifted my gaze towards the door. I held the gaze of familiar black eyes that made my heart slowly start beating again before picking up the pace. He occupied the whole room and everyone else disappeared. He scanned the room as he buttoned his black suit that hugged his wide frame. His eyes landed on mine and I felt my heart skip a nervous beat. He was staring and I couldn't bring myself to look away. Could he recognise me? I wasn't the same woman when I left the pack five years ago. I was way different as my body had developed and I had added flesh in all the right places. Still he stared like he knew and I saw recognition flash in his orbs. "Irene, are you okay?" I felt Alpha Lucas place a hand on my shoulder with his tone filled with worry and just like that, Karson's brows furrowed in a deep frown as his eyes darted back and forth in an angry and suspicious stare between me and my new Alpha. | LEARN_MORE | https://befant.com/market/buenovela/3?lpid=14374&u | Indulge in story | https://www.facebook.com/61552702618591/ | 811 | 0 | 0 | 1969-12-31 18:00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Learn More | 0 | befant.com | DCO | https://befant.com/market/buenovela/3?lpid=14374&utm_campaign={{campaign.name}}&utm_content={{campaign.id}}&adset_name={{adset.name}}&adset_id={{adset.id}}&ad_id={{ad.id}}&ad_name={{ad.name}}&placement={{placement}} | 1969-12-31 18:00 | https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/461262119_567752125679105_1113191889968315431_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=104&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=ND6VbvtXHJsQ7kNvgHQrgNC&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=AWotyg02B7RtAEK3rZLXGyt&oh=00_AYBr33nzm2FyTKv4MGDbUbxeeG9NyxlBxaxJr3IlOIwf4w&oe=670A70B4 | PERSON_PROFILE | 0 | 0 | 0 | Indulge in story | 0 | 0 | 1969-12-31 18:00 | View Edit Delete | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Revise su registro de votar | Grita Canta Vota y regístrese para el sorteo de dos boletos a Peso Pluma | SIGN_UP | https://gritacantavota.org/event/nc/ | Grita Canta Vota | https://www.facebook.com/GritaCantaVota/ | 268 | 0 | 0 | 1969-12-31 18:00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Sign Up | 0 | gritacantavota.org | DCO | https://gritacantavota.org/event/nc/ | 1969-12-31 18:00 | https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/462147632_411429578418029_827068001694597084_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=102&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=w-69IQSAC7kQ7kNvgEfqdOC&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=AVd9pnu_Azj75Es_1hjIgWm&oh=00_AYAciRjQhpkSoJL_TMz-ybXhbO-M0OQCk5PUaimr8S4mOw&oe=670A534D | PERSON_PROFILE | 0 | 0 | 0 | Grita Canta Vota | 0 | 0 | 1969-12-31 18:00 | View Edit Delete | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Yes | 2024-10-07 20:48 | active | 1592 | 0 | Being There Matters ™ | We envision a world where people can live on their own terms with dignity and independence. You can help turn this vision into a reality. Through our Free Cancer Clinic, Help-at-Home, Senior Dining Centers and more, we are committed to serving the community. | LEARN_MORE | https://www.lifecarealliance.org/beingtherematters | LifeCare Alliance | https://www.facebook.com/LifeCareAlliance/ | 4,055 | 0 | 0 | 1969-12-31 18:00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Learn more | 0 | www.lifecarealliance.org | VIDEO | Donate or Volunteer Today! | https://www.lifecarealliance.org/beingtherematters/ | 1969-12-31 18:00 | https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/455795209_383236044534838_8993908608270287061_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=111&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=XkL1c6a8VpwQ7kNvgFbpQk-&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=Au-D-t4WldQ0MkpGl4S6Gf0&oh=00_AYDC2lSlhuJbmXXjl3Xo1jhSmJJbJcnzNRUBaCs8Hl-0aA&oe=670A687D | PERSON_PROFILE | 0 | 0 | 0 | LifeCare Alliance | 0 | 0 | 1969-12-31 18:00 | View Edit Delete | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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No | 2024-10-07 20:09 | active | 1590 | 0 | El Rancho Grande Sharonville | EL RANCHO GRANDE SHARONVILLE CELEBRATE OUR GRAND OPENING October 9th and 10th WITH A GIVEAWAY AND MORE 🎉 We’re thrilled to announce the grand opening of our newest location in Sharonville! To celebrate, we’re giving away a $100 gift card AND 25% off October 9th-10th! 🌮✨ To enter: 1. Follow us on Instagram @elranchograndegroup✨ 2. Like this post ❤️ 3. Comment below with what menu item you’re most excited to try and tag 5 friends you’d love to bring along! 👇 For an extra entry, share this post in your story and tag us! 📱✨ Winner will be announced on Monday, October 14th. Don’t miss out—join the celebration and good luck! 🎉🎁 #ElRanchoGrande #chowdown #foddie #tacos #tequila | NO_BUTTON | El Rancho Grande Sharonville | https://www.facebook.com/ElRanchoGrandeSharonville/ | 1,519 | 0 | 0 | 1969-12-31 18:00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | No button | 0 | VIDEO | 1969-12-31 18:00 | https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/462115216_8787797004587836_1279287458891828172_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=101&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=SkJm8EkrBfkQ7kNvgHDN5Q7&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=ArKVFYGWpqfYgxvOps3562V&oh=00_AYBO0aFkSWYnzhn7TgkDZri5azTMsIYNup7yVKNmjvsyUA&oe=670A6FD9 | PERSON_PROFILE | 0 | 0 | 0 | El Rancho Grande Sharonville | 0 | 0 | 1969-12-31 18:00 | View Edit Delete | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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VIEW_INSTAGRAM_PROFILE | https://www.instagram.com/_u/tallgrassartistreside | Tallgrass Artist Residency | https://www.facebook.com/TallgrassArtistResidency/ | 1,814 | 0 | 0 | 1969-12-31 18:00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Visit Instagram Profile | 0 | instagram.com | CAROUSEL | https://www.instagram.com/_u/tallgrassartistresidency | 1969-12-31 18:00 | https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/462112893_589980883351603_7831765371854221782_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=111&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=Hdo608ZOaE0Q7kNvgGpMmFU&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=A8UNKR6Rn4jtgpfKq-nzsCp&oh=00_AYDPa6khtGzNMKMatpCIy2jQp8a7Ge2TFptOxedE-WadOg&oe=670A6627 | PERSON_PROFILE | 0 | 0 | 0 | Tallgrass Artist Residency | 0 | 0 | 1969-12-31 18:00 | View Edit Delete | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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In celebration of Vantage's 15th Anniversary, we're giving you the chance to win USD$100! We'll be selecting one lucky winner each month from October to December. Here's how you can join the celebration: 1️⃣ You have to be following us on Instagram 2️⃣ Keep an eye out for the winner announcements happening on the 15th of each month ✨ Be part of the excitement and celebrate with us! #v15 #vantageaffiliates #vantageib #cpaaffiliate #usd100 | VIEW_INSTAGRAM_PROFILE | https://www.instagram.com/_u/vantage_affiliates | Vantage Affiliates | https://www.facebook.com/vantagepartnerprograms/ | 12,756 | 0 | 0 | 1969-12-31 18:00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Visit Instagram profile | 0 | instagram.com | IMAGE | https://www.instagram.com/_u/vantage_affiliates | 1969-12-31 18:00 | https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/462285907_412576924951659_6757583767390398326_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=101&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=cFWBwzkLHZ8Q7kNvgHtrejs&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=Aaa4NNVjnER5z1FavuL143C&oh=00_AYAhvNpC0p0mS2-_v2aC6gjDoFPr-kwyHh4NTfOrEUeuAw&oe=670A41C5 | PERSON_PROFILE | 0 | 0 | 0 | Vantage Affiliates | 0 | 0 | 1969-12-31 18:00 | View Edit Delete | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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No | 2024-10-07 20:42 | active | 1591 | 0 | This Accident Hack is Paying Out BIG! Check now👉 | $150,000 Could Be Coming Your Way!😱 Tap Below if You:👇 Were in a car crash in the last 2 years It wasn’t your fault No lawyer? No problem! You could still get a HUGE payout. Don’t let this slip by—tap below and see how much you can claim now!"😱 | LEARN_MORE | https://simplytrk.com/66fd793e4552b7bc4461e76f?sub | Kelly Woods | https://www.facebook.com/61552788097888/ | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1969-12-31 18:00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Learn more | 0 | simplytrk.com | VIDEO | https://simplytrk.com/66fd793e4552b7bc4461e76f?sub1=%7B%7Bad.id%7D%7D&sub2=%7B%7Badset.id%7D%7D&sub3=%7B%7Bcampaign.id%7D%7D&sub4=%7B%7Bad.name%7D%7D&sub5=%7B%7Badset.name%7D%7D&sub6=%7B%7Bcampaign.name%7D%7D&sub7=%7B%7Bplacement%7D%7D&sub8=%7B%7Bsite_source_name%7D%7D&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=paid | 1969-12-31 18:00 | https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/461935778_508945718599694_6890537122735199704_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=111&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=sJwmHIYY1goQ7kNvgF5fOqA&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=AY_c4weVp-QhKskwBira-Ur&oh=00_AYCml4nMqGsOaFCo_wM9ZU7NQwcwpI9bIO5iZG9N_lVwpQ&oe=670A77E5 | PERSON_PROFILE | 0 | 0 | 0 | Kelly Woods | 0 | 0 | 1969-12-31 18:00 | View Edit Delete | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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300 Follower Giveaway Izuzu Marukyu Koyamaen 40g tin unopened 🎉 300 Follower Celebration Giveaway 🎉 We are beyond excited to have reached 300 followers and want to thank each and every one of you for your incredible support and love for all things matcha! To show our appreciation, we’re hosting a **Matcha Powder Giveaway 🍵 ending October 11th! This time, we’re giving away: 40g tin of Marukyu Koyamaen Izuzu matcha which as many of you know can be tricky to find in stock! How to enter: 1. **Follow** our account 2. **Like** this post 3. **Tag** a matcha-loving friend and make sure they follow us too! Good luck, and thank you again for being part of our growing community 💚🍵 #matchagiveaway #izuzu #marukyukoyamaen #matchapowder #giveaway | VIEW_INSTAGRAM_PROFILE | http://instagram.com/kycmatcha | kycmatcha | https://www.instagram.com/_u/kycmatcha | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1969-12-31 18:00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Visit Instagram profile | 0 | instagram.com | IMAGE | http://instagram.com/kycmatcha | 1969-12-31 18:00 | https://scontent-iad3-2.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.2885-19/449146751_1023108869326068_2568570438252236958_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s206x206&_nc_cat=106&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=01e7c5&_nc_ohc=GZ7CiJUFUeIQ7kNvgFVQdJz&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.cdninstagram.com&oh=00_AYDQ8azAtbYJzUBMzJvguxroCDplHZGSG0LmwmETztDq7Q&oe=670A3D7D | IG_ADS_IDENTITY | 1 | 0 | 0 | kycmatcha | 0 | 0 | 1969-12-31 18:00 | View Edit Delete | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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No | 2024-10-07 20:48 | active | 1592 | 0 | Download Now👉👉👉 | The Vampire And His Blood Wife ONLY on Drama Time.🎬 Don't miss out! Watch the series you've been wanting to see. No regrets, just pure entertainment! #Must SeeTV #No Regrets #Watch Now | WATCH_MORE | https://fblp.drama-time.com/DT-yrccXV-0905-EN-2240 | Romantic Love | https://www.facebook.com/61557838064349/ | 185 | 0 | 0 | 1969-12-31 18:00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Watch More | 0 | fblp.drama-time.com | DCO | https://fblp.drama-time.com/DT-yrccXV-0905-EN-224087.html?adid={{ad.id}}&char=1749262542004264962 | 1969-12-31 18:00 | https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/458512181_1644741456381928_1816062797669558776_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=103&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=XjEvykOAn8sQ7kNvgGAu7jI&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=ACwpG8jnw0xKlRN0kjt5el6&oh=00_AYAhWPc9e_6YdPe3bQBu5IMkvqAgs7vn6mt08MuLseqaSg&oe=670A5F2D | PERSON_PROFILE | 0 | 0 | 0 | Romantic Love | 0 | 0 | 1969-12-31 18:00 | View Edit Delete | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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🔥🔥Click to read the next chapter for free👉 | After six years, Stella Richard finally came back this familiar city. She walked out of the airport and hailed a taxi. When the taxi moved, all the memories she had tried to forget over the years began to flood her mind... Stella shook her head, chasing those thoughts away. This time, she hadn’t come back to dwell on old, useless memories. She was back because her boss had asked her to return. He told her that their company was at a dead end, and he wanted her to come back and solve the crisis. At first, Stella didn’t want to come, but after some thought, she decided to return... Six years ago, her boss had helped her during the most difficult time of her life, and she wanted to repay the favor... As for everything else, she no longer cared... At the Company... As Stella arrived, she noticed that most of the employees were engaged in a lively discussion. As she walked by, snippets of conversation reached her ears. "I heard that there are so many companies who want to buy our company." "Really! That means we’ll have a new boss." "I just hope that our new boss should be good-looking, like a Korean drama CEO." "Hey! Do you know who’s going to buy the company?" Stella heard their chatter but didn’t care about the gossip. She knew these people didn’t actually care about who would buy the company or for what price. They just wanted to gossip. But she... She cared... and she was here to secure a good deal for her company. "Of course, it’ll be Kingston’s, the RK Group. Who else in the city is powerful enough to challenge them?" Stella, who had been about to continue walking, stopped in her tracks. A name, both familiar and unfamiliar, reached her ears. "The Kingstons..." "RK Group..." Suddenly, memories Stella had locked away began to surge like a storm. Her mind was filled with those memories like a flood. Stella felt dizzy. It was as if she were still trapped in that RK mansion, surrounded by cold walls. Stella had thought she had long forgotten about him, but it seemed that it was just her illusion. [Flashback] Six Years Ago... In the RK Mansion... Stella walked out of the gate inside the living room. But her expression was somber. She moved as if in a daze. "Madam, what happened to you? Why do you look so pale and weak?" The one who spoke was Mia. She was working for Kingston's for years and always treated Stella like her daughter. Seeing her pale face and weak demeanor, Mia was worried. "Mia... Don’t worry, I’m fine. It’s just..." Stella glanced at the reports in her hand and said, "I haven’t had my period for two months, and when I went to the hospital..." She didn’t finish her sentence, looking at Mia with a mix of expectation and worry. They just stared at each other. Mia understood what Stella wanted to say. She was pregnant. But Mia also knew about the relationship between Mr. RK and Stella. She didn’t know what to say. In the end, she just congratulated her. Stella didn’t say anything and kept staring at the reports in her hand. She had been married to Rene Kingston for three years. But theirs was not a marriage of love... It was a contract marriage, with a three-year time limit. Because the woman he loved was her sister. RK had been about to marry her sister, Sophia, but for some reason, Stella had ended up replacing her sister. From the day they married, he had told her that their marriage was just a three-year contract and nothing more. For RK, their marriage was indeed just a contract, but for Stella, it was a beautiful gift from God. Because only she knew how happy she was when she found out she was going to marry RK. The man she had loved throughout her youth. All these years, Stella had given her best in this marriage, hoping that maybe, just maybe, their marriage would work out. Maybe he wouldn’t divorce her. Maybe he would want to stay with her... Maybe he would give their relationship a chance because of the child... Stella was still lost in thought when suddenly, a voice came from the door, shattering all her hopes and illusions. "I don’t want this child." The voice was cold and hard. Stella and Mia both turned to look in the direction of the voice. RK was standing at the door, staring at Stella. His face was cold and expressionless. It was impossible to tell what he was thinking. He had a very handsome face and blue eyes. His blue eyes were like the deep ocean. If you looked into them. Then you would be drowned in it. Chapter 2 RK walked in and stood in front of Stella. He appeared like a king, towering above the world and looking down upon everyone as if they were nothing. With his tall frame and commanding aura, he exuded an undeniable power. Stella sat on the sofa, overwhelmed by his presence. She remained seated, staring at him, shocked by his words. She never expected this man to be so cold-blooded, uttering such harsh words without a second thought. There was no hesitation in his voice when he said he didn’t want the child. Stella looked into his eyes, trying her best to remain calm and hold back her tears. She didn’t want to appear weak in front of this cold man. The two of them just stared at each other in silence. After a while, RK walked over and sat opposite Stella. As he sat down, his assistant, Alex Triston, placed a stack of papers on the table. At the top of the papers were the words "Contract Expired." Alex looked at Stella and said, "Miss Richard, according to your contract with Mr. RK, three years have now been completed. Please sign here and finalize the process." Stella noted the change in how Alex addressed her—from Mrs. RK to Miss Richard. Even though she still hadn't signed her name. A mocking smile appeared on her face. She was sure that Alex wouldn’t have dared to take her so lightly, if it hadn’t been ordered by someone, of course, and that someone was none other than her husband. RK took the pen and signed his name without a pause or thought. After finishing, he looked at Stella and said, "You can stay here for a week and look for the house." Stella looked into the man's eyes which are calm as a lake. There was no regret, sadness, or hesitation—nothing. It was as if he felt nothing about their relationship, which had suddenly gone through such a big change. But as this thought crossed her mind, she scolded herself. "Stella, are you a fool? How can you expect any regret or sadness from this stone-hearted man?" But still, she couldn’t control her emotions. Because she had loved this stone-heated man for so many years. Stella didn’t say anything and just looked at the man with whom she had spent the past three years. She had seen his face every day, yet now, as she looked at him, she still found him strikingly handsome. But... he was also the man who had shattered her heart into a thousand pieces. She didn’t want to show her vulnerability in front of him, so she tried her best not to cry. Her hand trembled as she held the pen. She looked at the papers, saw his elegant and strong handwriting, and signed her name. Just like her heart, her handwriting was also broken. Stella was shattered inside, but she didn't show this on her face. After she signed her name, she took a deep breath and said, "I am very grateful to Mr. Kingston that he allowed me to stay here for a week, but after our contract expires I don't think I should stay here. I will leave immediately." After speaking, Stella glanced at Mia and asked, "Mia, can you help me pack my things?" Mia looked at Stella's face and saw how hard she trying not to cry and her heartache. She didn't want to do this, but she had to do it. Stella went upstairs to pack her belongings, while RK watched her retreating figure, his emotions unreadable. Stella looked around the room where she had lived for three years, her eyes turned blurred... She can't hold back her tears. She knew their marriage would end someday, but she hadn’t anticipated such intense pain in her heart. Stella didn’t have many things to pack. She just packed her belongings but left everything RK had bought untouched— not even a single piece of clothing. Mia watched her in silence, unsure of what to say. Stella wiped away her tears and said, "Mia, don’t worry about me. I’m fine. It’s just that I’m not his Mrs. Right." With that, she grabbed her bag and headed downstairs. Downstairs... RK was still sitting on the sofa, watching Stella. But Stella didn't want to look at him and was ready to leave... "Where are you going?" Suddenly, his cold voice cut through the silence. Stella paused and turned to look at him. She hadn’t been on good terms with her family from the beginning, and after her marriage, it had been nearly impossible to maintain any connection with them. As for him, they were now divorced, so she felt no reason or obligation to tell him where she was going. "I don’t think my whereabouts has anything to do with Mr. Kingston. We’re already divorced and have nothing to do with each other. Mr. Kingston must be focused on his future wife, not on his ex-wife..." Stella's tone was cold and it was like she was throwing daggers from her mouth. She couldn’t comprehend his hypocritical behavior. She wondered if it was her imagination or not, but it felt as though, after mentioning his future wife, the temperature in the room had dropped a lot. She felt a chill spread through her body and decided to leave. "Wait a second." His voice was firm and allowed no rebuttal. Chapter 3 Stella heard his voice and stopped. There was a little bit of hope in her heart. The man's eyes were dark and cold, filled with mysterious thoughts, and a layer of fog surrounded him. Suddenly, he spoke, "I don't want this child. Don't forget to take it out." RK looked at the woman in front of him and thought. She seemed like a pure and beautiful woman, and he didn't want her to carry his burden. Stella's hand, which was holding her luggage, trembled, and the little bit of hope in her heart vanished. She felt like someone had stabbed a knife into her heart. He had broken her heart so many times, but... she didn’t know why she still felt hurt every time it happened. "Boooom." His words exploded in her head like a bomb, and the little bit of hope she had left in her heart was also gone. The hands holding the bag tightened. She felt like someone had stabbed her heart, and she could smell the blood. Suddenly, she laughed at herself. She felt like a fool. How could she expect anything from a man who was so cold toward his child? "If you don't want this child, then why did you sleep with me?" She wanted to yell at him, but in the end, she didn’t say anything. He had once told her that he liked children, which was why she hadn’t taken the pills. But... It was as if he liked children but not with her. Stella's heart was in so much pain, but she didn’t want to let him see her tears. She didn’t turn around, keeping her back facing him. Stella took a deep breath and said, "Mr. Kingston, don’t think too much. I also don’t want this child at all. I have already decided to get rid off it." She was about to leave but then stopped and said, "One more thing, I hope we don’t see each other again in this life." After she said, Stella didn’t stop for a minute and left. At first, she didn’t want to leave this place, but now... She felt suffocated. Stella held her bag tightly and left without looking back. RK watched the woman’s back, struggling to keep herself straight and not stumble. His eyes were dark and filled with unreadable emotions. Only after her figure disappeared from his sight did his tense back relax. [Flashback end] "I am sorry, I didn’t see you..." Suddenly, a man bumped into Stella, who was standing in the hallway. Files fell to the ground. But because of this she also came back from the memories from six years ago. "No, I am sorry," she said, helping him pick up the files before going into the elevator. As the elevator door opened, Jack Paul stood outside and greeted her. Jack Paul looked at Stella with a smile and said, "Stella, here you are. How are you? You are new here. If you need anything, please feel free to tell me." Stella looked at him and nodded. "I am fine, thank you." As they talked, they went to his office and sat down. Jack looked at Stella and said, "Stella, I am very happy that you accepted my offer and came back." As he spoke, he handed her a red file and continued, "I am sure you have heard that our company is going to be acquired by someone. This file contains the reports I made; take a look." Stella took the file and nodded. Jack continued, "Many companies want to buy our company, but among all of them, RK Groups is the best. However, the price offered by Mr. RK was too low." He paused and said, "This time, I ask you to come back so that you can turn the situation around." "RK Groups... Rene Kingston..." Stella's hands holding the file trembled. The memories she had locked away deep down in her heart suddenly resurfaced. Stella calmed herself and said, "I will do my best." "That’s good," Jack laughed and said. "Now that you have taken on this project, I am not worried anymore." Chapter 4 The next day, at a coffee shop... Stella had already organized all the documents and asked the negotiation director of the RK Group to meet her at the coffee shop. As she was waiting, a man wearing a black suit and gold-rimmed glasses came over. But when he walked over and saw Stella, he looked shocked. Stella also looked at the person in front of her and was shocked, too. Because the one standing in front of her was RK's assistant, Alex Triston. For a moment, both of them stayed quiet. It was Stella who took the initiative and said, "Long time no see." Alex heard her words and quickly regained his composure. He nodded and sat down. Stella didn’t waste much time and went straight to the point. "Mr. Triston, here are the documents. If you find them satisfactory, please sign them." As she spoke, she pushed the documents in front of him. Alex looked at the eye-catching price of 70 million and was shocked. "Miss Richard, the RK Group can only offer 40 million. The price your company is asking for is very high." Stella didn’t want to sign this contract from the beginning. She would never let that man become her boss. She felt like she was wasting her time on the RK Group and should find another company. "It's alright, but we can't sign this contract." She said, packing her things and deciding to leave. Alex saw that she was about to leave and that she wasn’t interested in this deal, and he panicked. He rushed over and stopped her. "Miss Richard, please wait. Let me call and ask about the price again." Stella stopped and nodded. "Of course." Alex stepped to the side and made a call. **** At the RK Group's CEO office... RK was sitting in the head chair, listening to a report from the marketing department, when his phone rang. RK glanced at the phone and hung up. He didn’t like being disturbed at work. But after a few seconds, it rang again. The people standing in the office saw his cold expression and trembled. They felt like the person on the other side was about to die. RK's face didn’t look good, and the people reporting to him felt a chill down their spines. RK picked up the phone and asked, "What is it?" His voice was cold. Alex reported the situation on the other side. "Tell them it’s not going to happen. 70 million is too much; they’re not worth it." After he finished speaking, he was about to hang up. But Alex said something that made him pause for a while. His fingers tapped on the table, and after a minute, he replied, "Okay, then let's agree to 70 million." After that, he paused for a moment and added, "Tell her I’m coming to the company, and ask her to personally explain to me how it’s worth 70 million." After he spoke, he hung up the phone. There were some unknown emotions in his deep blue eyes. The people from the marketing department heard his words and were shocked. "The CEO is going to personally sign the contract." "Is that negotiation really worth his visit?" Moreover, they knew that in this negotiation, Mr. Kingston didn’t need to be personally involved. All of them had question marks on their faces. **** Alex wasn’t too far away, so Stella could hear parts of his conversation. She heard Alex directly reporting her name to the person on the other side of the phone. Within just three minutes... "Miss Richard, wait! Mr. Kingston said that they have no problem with your price. The agreement must be set according to your company’s plan. Let's quickly sign the deal so that no one can back out." After he finished speaking, he took out the documents, signed his name, and handed the pen to Stella. Looking at his arrogant attitude, as if he had already bought her company, Stella was a little shocked. She stared at the pen in a daze. She hadn’t expected the agreement between the two companies to go so smoothly and effortlessly. Stella felt like she had made her stand clear by not lowering her price and being firm in her decision. But who would have thought that RK would be even more determined than she was in the acquisition of the company? He even agreed to sign the contract at her price. "Didn’t he pride himself on never changing his decisions, no matter what? Then why did he change this one?" she thought. "Was it because, after living with the love of his life, he changed?" But no matter what. Now, what could she do? Stella took the pen and signed her name. She didn’t care about him anymore. Anyway, she wasn’t going to stay here. Usually, she didn’t want him to become her boss, but what could she do? She needed to finish this job and leave quickly. Alex put the documents back, shook hands with her, and said, "Miss Richard, from now on, we’re colleagues in the same company. Please take care of us in the future!" Stella just gave him a forced smile. Only she and God knew how much she didn’t want this man to be her boss. Alex looked at her and added, "Miss Richard, please go back to the company quickly. Mr. Kingston will be there in a while. He said he wants you to... personally explain how your company is worth 70 million." Alex also didn’t know why his boss wanted Miss Richard to do it personally, after what happened between them before. But as an assistant, he could only do as he was told. ***** On the way back to the company... Stella was sitting in the car, but her mind was filled with thoughts of how RK would soon become her boss. "Ahhh! Stella, you’re the best. You just signed the contract as soon as you showed up!" The one who speak was the assistant to the director of the company. "Stella, you don’t know, but before you came, Mr. Paul sent many people to negotiate with Mr. Kingston, but he only kept lowering the price." She hugged Stella and said happily, "Stella, you’re our lucky star." Stella just lowered her head and didn’t speak. Because it wasn’t what she wanted. Lily continued, "Stella, you just came back, so you probably don’t know much about the city, right?" As she spoke, she leaned closer to Stella’s ear and whispered, "Let me tell you, Mr. Kingston is the most handsome man in X City. He’s not only handsome but also rich and capable. He’s the dream man of many women in the world." Stella heard her words and felt speechless. "I heard that he had a fiancée before, but he already left her, six years ago," Lily said. "He didn’t marry her sister?" Stella couldn’t believe they hadn’t married yet. Didn’t he give her a divorce because he wanted to marry her sister? She thought that by now, they must be married, have children, and be living happily together. "Stella, here you are." When Jack heard that Stella had reached an agreement with RK Groups, he personally came to welcome her with a big smile on his face. "Stella, you didn’t disappoint me. Quickly, go to the meeting room and sit for a while. Mr. Kingston will be here soon, and you will come with me to welcome him." | LEARN_MORE | https://redtgb.com/market/buenovela/3?lpid=14478&u | Indulge in story | https://www.facebook.com/61552702618591/ | 811 | 0 | 0 | 1969-12-31 18:00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Learn More | 0 | redtgb.com | DCO | https://redtgb.com/market/buenovela/3?lpid=14478&utm_campaign={{campaign.name}}&utm_content={{campaign.id}}&adset_name={{adset.name}}&adset_id={{adset.id}}&ad_id={{ad.id}}&ad_name={{ad.name}}&placement={{placement}} | 1969-12-31 18:00 | https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/461700748_896829415136386_2800863049063417918_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=110&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=F1J2XdHGr5EQ7kNvgHButhY&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=AWotyg02B7RtAEK3rZLXGyt&oh=00_AYA-aZsRJtcxn8XUrWjDY3NCJeh7cbd8r_5FXZeZL3H-lQ&oe=670A6146 | PERSON_PROFILE | 0 | 0 | 0 | Indulge in story | 0 | 0 | 1969-12-31 18:00 | View Edit Delete | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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See If You Qualify | Roundup weedkiller has been linked to Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. If you or someone you know used Roundup and was later diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, you could be eligible to receive significant compensation as part of a settlement. Click to learn more and see if you qualify. | LEARN_MORE | https://contact.consumersafe.com/roundup/ | ConsumerSafe.com | https://www.facebook.com/consumersafedotcom/ | 2,384 | 0 | 0 | 1969-12-31 18:00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Learn More | 0 | contact.consumersafe.com | DCO | They set aside $4.5 billion... | https://contact.consumersafe.com/roundup/ | 1969-12-31 18:00 | https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/431615458_770690081512177_3495676478623739503_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=106&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=Xhqd2DzqAO4Q7kNvgHcXioG&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=Au-D-t4WldQ0MkpGl4S6Gf0&oh=00_AYATaL6NFz7Z7Ldb_px1X7XukBkRbCv3OVuLLRBnkoqrow&oe=670A6EC5 | PERSON_PROFILE | 0 | 0 | 0 | ConsumerSafe.com | 0 | 0 | 1969-12-31 18:00 | View Edit Delete | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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LEARN_MORE | https://sellingthe817.com/ibuyer-guide | Jeff Kelly-Realtor, The Wethington Agency | https://www.facebook.com/JeffKellyRealtor/ | 504 | 0 | 0 | 1969-12-31 18:00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Learn More | 0 | sellingthe817.com/ibuyer-guide | CAROUSEL | https://sellingthe817.com/ibuyer-guide | 1969-12-31 18:00 | https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/433113204_3694150090860704_6844682641796087410_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=104&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=uPt3L5j0e6AQ7kNvgGadpcR&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=AboUv9wHNhUU3MQj08LK3nd&oh=00_AYBWSDw_NAE0eDZMA5gKvpQG5oVHQeau3Q3UXkXkPkLrRQ&oe=670A4E08 | PERSON_PROFILE | 0 | 0 | 0 | Jeff Kelly-Realtor, The Wethington Agency | 0 | 0 | 1969-12-31 18:00 | View Edit Delete | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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❤️😍What happens next👉 | Chapter 1 Yvette Snyder stood at the entrance of the hospital, her body frail, clutching a report in her thin hands. Three words on the report stood out: "No conception detected". "You've been married for three years. How are you not conceived?" Her mother, Yara Cadwell, demanded, jabbing a finger in Yvette's face disappointedly. Yara was dressed lavishly and wore high heels. "Why are you so useless? If you don't get conceived soon, the Lanes are going to kick you out of the family. What's going to happen to our family then?" Yvette looked at Yara blankly. She had a lot to say, but the words were stuck in her throat. In the end, all she could manage was, "I'm sorry." "I don't want you to be sorry. I want you to give birth to Xavier's child. Do you understand me?" Yvette's throat felt tight; she didn't know how to answer Yara. In their three years of marriage, her husband, Xavier Lane, had never slept with her. How could she ever have his child? Yara stared at Yvette. The latter's weak demeanor was so unlike her own. Finally, she said coldly before leaving, "If you really can't give him a child, then find him a woman who can. At least he'll appreciate you for that." Yvette stared after Yara's retreating figure in disbelief. Had her own mother just told her to find another woman for her husband to sleep with? ... As Yvette made her journey home, she couldn't stop thinking about Yara's parting words. Suddenly, a loud ringing in her ear drowned out her thoughts. She knew that her condition had worsened. Just then, she received a message on her phone. It was from Xavier, and the content was the same as always. "I'm not coming home tonight." In the past three years they had been married, Xavier had never spent the night at home before. He had never so much as touched Yvette either. Yvette could remember their wedding night three years ago. He had told her, "Since your family is bold enough to trick me into marrying you, you'd better be prepared to spend the rest of your life in loneliness." Three years ago, the Snyder and Lane families had decided to form an alliance through marriage. Both families had agreed to mutually beneficial terms in the agreement. But when the day of the wedding came around, the Snyder family went back on their word and transferred all of their assets away, including the billions that Xavier had paid to marry Yvette. Yvette's eyes dulled at the memory. She replied to Xavier's text with her usual response: "Okay." Without her realizing it, the report she was holding got scrunched up in her hands. When she got home, Yvette tossed the report into the trash can. Every month, around this time, she would feel unusually lethargic. Yvette didn't prepare dinner for herself. She just leaned back on the couch, blearily drifting in and out of sleep. The rumbling in her ear persisted. That was another reason why Xavier hated her—she was hard of hearing, which, to the rich and powerful, was no better than being crippled. Xavier would never allow her to carry his child. … At 5 o'clock in the morning, the pendulum clock on the wall chimed dully. Xavier would be home in an hour. Yvette realized too late that she had fallen asleep on the couch. She got up hastily and went to the kitchen to prepare Xavier's breakfast. Xavier was a meticulous man who was strict about punctuality, not only with himself but also with the people around him. He arrived home at six o'clock sharp. Xavier was a tall and handsome man. Clad in a smart tailored suit, his demeanor was quiet and reserved, yet undoubtedly masculine. However, to Yvette, he was cold and distant. Xavier didn't even look at Yvette. He walked right past her to look at the food on the table and said with a scoff, "You do this every day. Are you a nanny or what?" Over the past three years, Yvette had been doing the same things over and over again. She wore the same dark clothes and replied to his messages with the same singular word. If it hadn't been for the business alliance and the Snyders' deceit, Xavier would never have married a woman like Yvette. At the word "nanny", the rumbling in Yvette's ears returned. She swallowed, feeling a lump in her throat, and said bravely, "Xav, do you have someone that you like?" Her sudden question surprised Xavier. His eyes darkened. "What do you mean by that?" Yvette raised her head and stared at him, swallowing the bile rising in the back of her throat. "If you love someone else, you can be with her—" Before she could finish, Xavier interrupted her. "You're mad." ... After Xavier left, Yvette sat on the balcony alone, staring out into the cold rain. The sound of the raindrops drifted in and out of clarity. She took off her hearing aids, letting the world around her fall into silence. A month ago, her doctor had told her, "Ms. Snyder, there's been a pathological change in your auditory nerves and some of your cranial nerves, causing your hearing to worsen. If this goes on, you may lose your hearing completely." Not used to a silent world, Yvette went to the living room and turned on the television. She turned up the volume to the max, which allowed her to hear some sound. By coincidence, the television was showing an interview with Daphne Reyes, an internationally renowned singer known for her love songs. Yvette's hands trembled slightly as she gripped the remote control. Daphne was Xavier's first love. It had been a long time since Yvette had seen her, but Daphne was still as pretty as ever. She was confident and relaxed in front of the cameras, unlike the shy and frightened young woman who had begged the Snyders for sponsorship in the past. When the interviewer asked Daphne why she had returned to her home country, her answer was bold. "I came home to get my first love back." The remote control slipped out of Yvette's hands. Her heart also fell to her stomach. Flustered, Yvette turned off the television and went to the table to clean up the uneaten breakfast. When she got to the kitchen, she found that Xavier had forgotten to take his phone. She picked it up and saw the unread messages on the lock screen. "Xav, you must have been unhappy over the past few years, right?" "I know you don't love her. How about we meet up tonight? I've missed you." Yvette stared blankly at the messages until the screen went dark again. Then, she called a cab to Xavier's office. On the way, she stared out of the window. The rain fell incessantly. It felt like it would never stop. Xavier never liked it when Yvette visited him at his office, so whenever she was there, she would take the service elevator from the loading bay. When Xavier's assistant, Mark Xyrax, saw her, he just greeted her impassively, "Ms. Snyder." No one around Xavier considered Yvette his wife. She was nothing but a smear on his reputation. When Xavier saw Yvette bringing him his phone, he frowned. She was always like this. No matter what he forgot, be it his lunch, his documents, a shirt, or even an umbrella, she would bring them to him. "I thought I told you that you didn't need to deliver my things to me yourself." Yvette froze. "Sorry, I forgot." Since when had her memory been so bad? Maybe she had panicked after seeing Daphne's message and became afraid that Xavier would disappear from her life suddenly. Before she left, she looked back at Xavier. Unable to help herself, she blurted out, "Xav, do you still like Daphne?" Xavier thought that Yvette had been behaving rather strangely lately. She kept forgetting things and asking weird questions. How could a person like her be his wife? Impatiently, he replied, "If you have so much free time, go find yourself something to do." Yvette had tried getting a job before, but Xavier's mother, Shannon Guetta, had reprimanded her without holding back. "Do you want the whole world to know that Xav married a disabled woman with hearing issues?" Therefore, Yvette had given up on finding a job and focused on her fruitless life as "Mrs. Lane" at Dewberry Estate. … At home, she sat alone until nightfall. She couldn't sleep. Just then, the phone on her bedside table rang loudly. It was a call from an unfamiliar number. Yvette picked up the call. A familiar voice, yet one she dreaded, sounded from the other end. "Is this Yvvy? Xav is drunk. Can you come pick him up?" When Yvette arrived at Sternhow Club, she heard loud coaxing and jeering from the wealthy heirs inside the private room. "Daph, didn't you say you came back to get our dear Mr. Lane back into your arms? This is your chance now. Go on, tell him how you feel!" Daphne was a pretty woman who was popular wherever she went. She was also Xavier's first love, so the rich young men of the upper crust were happy to push the two together. Daphne wasn't shy at all. She turned to Xavier and said without any reservations, "I like you, Xav. Please be with me again." That was what Yvette heard when she arrived at the door of the private room. Inside, the other people were urging Xavier to answer Daphne. His best friend, Tristan Shaw, was the most vocal among them. "Xav, you've been waiting for Daphne for three years. She's back now. So, go on, answer her!" Yvette stood frozen outside the door. Her heart was pounding. Just then, one of the men pulled the door open. "Ms. Snyder?" Chapter 2 Everyone in the private room looked over at the door. For a moment, the room was eerily silent. Yvette immediately caught sight of Xavier in the middle of the room. His eyes were clear and bright. He was clearly not drunk. She knew that she had been tricked by Daphne. When Xavier saw Yvette, his pupils constricted. Everyone else in the room looked awkward, including Tristan, who had been the most vocal in getting Xavier to accept Daphne's confession earlier. Yvette shouldn't have gone there. Daphne was the first to break the silence. "Please don't get the wrong idea, Yvvy. Tristan was joking. Xavier and I are just friends." Before Yvette could answer, Xavier stood up impatiently. "There's no need to explain it to her." Then, he stalked over to Yvette. "What are you doing here?" "I thought you were drunk, so I came to take you home," Yvette answered truthfully. Xavier scoffed. "You really didn't retain anything I told you, did you?" Lowering his voice, he said softly so that only she could hear him, "Are you here to remind everyone that I was tricked into marrying you three years ago? Did you think they forgot?" Yvette was stunned. Xavier gave her a cold look. "Stop seeking attention. You're only making me hate you more." With that, he turned away, leaving Yvette standing alone. Yvette stared after his retreating figure, unable to snap out of her shock. None of the other scions in the room took pity on her when they saw Xavier ignoring her. Tristan even had no qualms in telling Daphne, who was feigning distress, "You're too kind, Daphne. You didn't need to explain anything. "If Yvette hadn't scammed Xav, he would've married you in the first place. You wouldn't have needed to suffer abroad as well." Despite the constant ringing in her ears, Yvette could still hear every word clearly. She knew better than anyone that even if Xavier hadn't married her, he wouldn't have married Daphne. Daphne was a nobody with no background, after all. Daphne was well aware of this as well. That was why she had chosen to break up with Xavier and leave the country. How had everything turned out to be Yvette's fault? When Yvette left Sternhow Club with her umbrella, she felt as if she had been enveloped by darkness. Just then, a lithe figure appeared beside her. It was Daphne. She was decked out in fine clothes, complete with high heels. She looked smug. "It's a cold night, isn't it? So, how does it feel to get scoffed at by Xavier after you came all the way here at this time to get him?" Yvette didn't answer her, but Daphne didn't mind her silence. She just continued speaking. "I do pity you, you know. You've never experienced true love before, have you? "Do you know that when I was with Xav, he would cook for me himself? When I was sick, he would drop everything and stay with me. "Has Xav ever told you he loves you? He used to say that to me all the time…" Yvette listened to Daphne's rambling quietly, her mind going over the past three years she had been married to Xavier. He had never so much as stepped into the kitchen during that time. When she had gotten sick, he had never comforted her. He had never told her he loved her either. … That night, Yvette couldn't fall asleep. She had only just found out that the man she had loved for the past 12 years had once loved another with all his heart, in the spectacular way that only young people could. At that moment, she realized that it was time for her to give him up. She had a sleepless night. The next morning, Xavier returned home. The glare he gave her was cold. "How attached are you to the Lane family's money, to me, your money-making robot?" he demanded. Yvette was stunned. She didn't know what had gotten into him so early in the morning. Instinctively, she said, "I never wanted your money." She had only ever wanted Xavier. Xavier laughed in disdain. "Then, why did your mother come to my office and beg me to give you a child?" Yvette was stunned. She stared into Xavier's eyes. It was only then that she realized that he wasn't angry about what had happened last night. Xavier had no desire to waste his breath on her. "If you want to continue staying with me and keep your family afloat, tell your mother to behave herself!" ... In the end, Yvette didn't need to look for Yara. Yara found Yvette instead. She was no longer cold and distant; she gripped Yvette's hands and said gently, "Yvvy, you should ask Xavier to give you a child. He doesn't have to do it biologically. He could do it through scientific measures." Scientific measures. Yvette stared at Yara in shock as the latter continued, "Daphne told me that Xavier hasn't slept with you in the past three years." That was the last straw for Yvette. She didn't know why Xavier would tell Daphne about that. Maybe he really loved Daphne a lot. With that thought, she suddenly felt relieved. "Just let it go, Mom." Yara paused. She frowned. "What?" "I'm tired. I want to get a divorce—" Before she could finish, Yara slapped her hard across the face. The kind, motherly facade was gone in an instant. She jabbed a finger at Yvette and gritted out, "You have no right to ask for a divorce! "Without the Lane family, what do you think you're going to do? Who's going to remarry a disabled divorcee like you?" Yvette felt her body go numb. Yara had never liked Yvette, even when the latter had been a child. Yara had been a famous dancer. The fact that she had given birth to a daughter with hearing issues was one of her biggest regrets. Therefore, she had sent Yvette away to be taken care of by a nanny. She had only allowed Yvette to return home when the latter started school. People used to tell Yvette that every mother loved their child. So, she had done everything she could to excel at everything in hopes of making Yara happy. Despite her hearing issues, she had been at the top of her class in dance, music, and art classes. But no matter how hard she tried, Yara still didn't consider her a good daughter. In Yara's words, Yvette wasn't "complete". Not only physically, but also in love and familial relationships. After Yara left, Yvette used some makeup to cover up the red print on her face. Then, she packed her bags quietly. Even after three years of married life, all her personal belongings fit into a single suitcase. After she finished packing up, she gathered her courage and sent Xavier a message. "Are you free tonight? I need to talk to you." Xavier didn't reply to her. Yvette's eyes darkened. She knew that he didn't want to reply to her messages. All she could do was wait for him to come home in the morning. She had thought that he wouldn't come home that night, but he got back at midnight. Yvette wasn't asleep at the time. She went up to him and took his coat and bag from him with familiarity in her actions. It was as if they were a normal married couple. Xavier's cold voice broke the peace. "Don't send me inane texts again." As Yvette held Xavier's coat, her hand trembled slightly. "I won't do it again," she mumbled. Xavier didn't notice anything wrong with her tone. He went straight to his study. Generally, if he came home, he would stay holed up in his study. He probably thought that someone who was hard of hearing would live in a silent world. Either that, or he simply didn't care about Yvette. That would explain why he got straight to discussing his acquisition of Snyder Group in his study as if nothing was wrong. When Yvette brought him some soup, she heard Xavier animatedly discussing work with his employees. He was talking about the acquisition of Snyder Group, her father, James Snyder's company. She didn't know how to feel about that. She knew that her brother, Terrence Synder, was useless at running a business, so it was only a matter of time before Snyder Group fell. However, she had never thought that her own husband would be the first to cause Snyder Group's downfall. "Xav," she interrupted. Xavier was slightly startled. Out of guilt, or maybe some other emotion, he quickly hung up the phone and closed his laptop. Feigning ignorance, Yvette walked into the study and placed the bowl in front of him. "Have some soup, then get to bed soon. Your health is more important than work." For some reason, Xavier felt himself relax when he heard her soft voice. She probably hadn't heard anything. Feeling conflicted, he stopped Yvette before she could leave. "You said you wanted to talk to me. What is it?" Hearing this, Yvette turned back to look at him. Softly, she said, "I just wanted to ask if you're free in the morning so we can go and file for divorce." Chapter 3 Yvette's voice was calm and impassive, as though divorce were a menial matter to her. Xavier's pupils contracted. "What did you just say?" Over the last three years, no matter what he had done, Yvette had never brought up divorce. In truth, Xavier knew that Yvette loved him. Her eyes, which were usually dull and empty, were clear and bright now. "I'm sorry for being a burden over the last few years, Mr. Lane. We should get divorced." Xavier clenched his fists unconsciously. "You heard what I said earlier, didn't you? Snyder Group was already failing; it won't matter whether I buy it or someone else does. What are you trying to do by bringing up divorce? "Is it because you want money? Or a child? Or do you want me to leave Snyder Group alone?" he asked coldly. "Don't forget that I don't love you. Your threats won't work on me!" At that moment, he seemed like a stranger to Yvette. A lump formed in her throat as her ears began throbbing. Even though she was wearing her hearing aids, she could barely hear what Xavier was saying. She could only answer his last question. "I don't want anything." Afraid that he would notice something wrong with her, Yvette left the study in a hurry. As he watched her leave, Xavier felt frustrated for some reason. He had never felt like this before. Not one to hold in his emotions, he flipped the table over. The bowl of soup that Yvette had brought him spilled all over the ground. ... Back in her own room, Yvette forced herself to swallow a handful of pills. She reached up to touch her ear. As she retracted her fingers, she saw crimson blood on them. Thanks to the medicine, her hearing recovered a little by the time it was dawn. Yvette stared blankly at the soft rays of sunlight streaming from the window. "The rain has stopped," she said quietly to herself. Xavier didn't leave the manor that day. He was in the living room bright and early, settled on the couch, waiting for Yvette to apologize and express her regret to him. This wasn't the first time Yvette had lost her temper with him. However, after every tantrum, she would apologize to him before long. Xavier figured that it would be the same this time around. Soon, he saw Yvette coming out of her room, all freshened up. She wore her usual dark-colored clothes. She dragged a suitcase with one hand while holding a piece of paper in the other. She handed the paper to him. It was a divorce agreement. "Let me know when you have time, Xav." With that, she left the manor, pulling her suitcase behind her. It was bright and sunny outside. Yvette felt as if she had gotten a new chance at life. Meanwhile, Xavier sat frozen on the couch, still clutching the divorce agreement in his hand. It took him a long time to come back to his senses. It was Saturday. Usually, around this time of the year, Xavier would take Yvette back to his hometown to pay respects to his ancestors. During this time, they would have to endure strange looks from his extended family. However, he was alone that day, which made him extraordinarily happy. At Lane Mansion, Shannon and the rest of the Lanes were surprised to see him alone. In the past, Yvette had always been the first one to turn up every year and the last to leave since she had been trying to please everyone. Why wasn't she there today? Shanon frowned and asked Xavier, "Where's Yvette, Xav?" Xavier's expression turned cold. "She wanted a divorce and left me." Everyone fell silent in disbelief when he said that. Shannon was shocked. She knew that Yvette probably loved Xavier more than anything in the world, only surpassed by his own parents. Seven years ago, Yvette had even protected Xavier with her own body when someone had attempted to stab him. Four years ago, not long after the two had gotten engaged, something had happened to Xavier while he had been on a business trip in Dibay. Everyone had been convinced that he was dead, but Yvette had refused to believe that. She had dropped everything and gone to the foreign city just to look for him. Then, after they had gotten married, Yvette had taken care of almost everything in his life with meticulous precision, including being polite to everyone around him, even his secretaries. She had always been afraid of offending them. Yvette clearly couldn't live without Xavier. So, why had she suggested getting a divorce? Shannon had no idea, but she was glad that Yvette had finally decided to let Xavier go. "She's not worthy to be your wife anyway. It's a good thing that you're divorcing her. She doesn't deserve you," she said The others immediately chimed in. "Yeah, you're young and handsome, Xav. You're in your best years now. Yvette's been dragging you down all this time!" Instantly, the gathering turned into a slander fest. They spoke of Yvette as if she were an unforgivable criminal. Xavier should have felt happy that they were defending him, but for some reason, he found their words too sharp and crass. He left Lane Mansion earlier than usual and made his way back to Dewberry Estate. The sky was just starting to darken when he arrived home. He opened the door and entered the manor. When he saw nothing but darkness, he remembered, with a start, that Yvette had left. He changed into his house slippers and tossed his coat into the washer. For some reason, he felt unusually exhausted today. He went to the wine cellar to get a bottle of wine so that he could celebrate Yvette's leaving. However, when he got to the wine cellar and saw the locked door, he realized too late that he didn't have the key. He didn't like strangers in his house, so there were no maids or servants at Dewberry Estate. Ever since he had married Yvette, she had been the one taking care of the household affairs. He could only go back to his room. Picking up his phone, he scrolled through his messages only to find work-related texts. Yvette hadn't called or texted him to apologize at all. Tossing his phone aside, he got up and headed over to the kitchen. When he opened the door of the fridge, he was stunned. Apart from food, there were also a lot of supplements. He picked one of the bags up and read the instructions on it. "Take five times a day for incapable of conceived." He took a whiff of the supplement. It smelled disgusting. He recalled that Yvette always smelled strange. So, this was why. He scoffed silently. They had never slept, so no matter how much medicine she took, she would never have gotten conceived. ... Meanwhile, over in a dark and dinky hotel, Yvette opened her eyes blearily. Her head was pounding. The world was silent. She knew, then, that her condition had worsened again. Before this, she had still been able to hear some sounds, even without her hearing aids. She pushed herself up and felt around on the bedside table until she found her medicine. She popped the pills in her mouth, tasting their bitterness. The day before, she had left Dewberry Estate, which had been her home for the past three years. At first, she had gone to her parents' house, Snyder Residence. However, at the door, she had overheard Yara and Terrence discussing how they would marry her off to an old man if the Lanes kicked her out. Yvette had blanked upon hearing that. It was then that she finally realized that she had no place to call home anymore. Even though she hadn't eaten anything in two days, she still didn't feel hungry. However, it was too quiet. The silence scared her. It had been raining more frequently in Tirion this year than it had in previous years. Yvette stared out at the passing pedestrians. Most of them were paired up or in groups. She was the only one alone. She bought a bus ticket heading out of the city. She decided to go to her nanny's house in the countryside. Viola Xenos, her nanny, had taken care of her when she was a child. It was already 9:00 pm when Yvette got there. When Viola saw Yvette, she looked pleasantly surprised. Yvette teared up when she saw Viola's warm smile. She reached out to her and hugged her. "Viola." Due to health issues, Viola had never married and didn't have children of her own. Yvette was closer to her than she was to her own mother. That night, Yvette cuddled up in Viola's embrace, just like she had when she was a child. Viola wrapped her arms around Yvette, only to realize that the latter was very thin. She pressed a hand on the Yvette's bony back, trembling uncontrollably. Forcing herself to calm down, she asked cautiously, "Has Xavier been treating you well, Yvvy?" Yvette felt a sharp pain in her throat when she heard Xavier's name. She wanted to lie to Viola and tell her that Xavier had treated her well, but she knew that Viola wasn't silly. Since she had already made up her mind to leave him, there was no need to lie to herself or to the people who loved her any longer. "The person he loves has returned. I've decided to let him go and divorce him." Viola was stunned. She couldn't believe her ears. Yvette had told her multiple times before that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with Xavier. Not knowing what else to say, she comforted Yvette by telling her that there were plenty of other fish in the sea. There was bound to be one who would love her. Yvette just nodded silently. The buzzing in her ears drowned out Viola's comforting voice. That night, she managed to get a good night's sleep, which was rare. However, when she woke up, she was greeted with the alarming sight of blood staining the spot where her head had laid on the pillow. Yvette touched her right ear. Her fingers felt sticky. She looked at her hand. It was covered in blood. Chapter 4 Even Yvette's hearing aids were stained red. Her pupils contracted, and she quickly grabbed some tissues to wipe her ear. Then, she stripped the bedsheets and washed them. She was afraid that Viola would worry about her if she found out that her illness was worsening. So, she cleaned up the mess and found an excuse to bid goodbye to Viola. Before she left, she placed a part of her savings on the bedside table without telling Viola. Viola walked Yvette to the bus stop and waved goodbye reluctantly. … After Yvette left, Viola couldn't stop thinking about how thin the former was. Unable to just sit by, she called Lane Group. When the secretary heard that Viola was Yvette's nanny and wanted to speak to Xavier, she transferred the call to Xavier's line. It was the third day after Yvette had left Xavier. It was also the first time in three days that he had received a call about her. Sitting behind his desk, he felt exceptionally pleased. Just as he had expected, Yvette wouldn't be able to last more than three days without him—or so he thought. Viola's voice came through the other line, sounding weighed with age. "Mr. Lane, I am Yvvy's nanny. I've been taking care of her since she was a baby. "Please, I beg you, treat her well. Don't hurt her more than you already have. She's not as strong as she seems on the surface. "When she was born, Mrs. Snyder left her in my care because she didn't like that Yvvy is hard of hearing. Yvvy only returned home when she had to start going to school. "The Snyders have never treated her as one of their own. Apart from Mr. Snyder, everyone else treated her like she was a maid. "You and Mr. Snyder are the most important people she has in this world. I'm begging you, please. Please be kind to her." Xavier's mood darkened when he heard what Viola said. "Did she tell you to give me this sob story because she didn't want to face me herself?" he asked coldly. "Why should I care about her life? If you ask me, she deserved everything she got!" That said, he hung up the phone without waiting for an answer. Viola had heard Yvette gushing about how nice Xavier was to her. So, it was only then that she realized the truth—Xavier wasn't a good man at all. He wasn't a good husband to Yvette. ... Yvette sat on the bus, heading home. Just then, her phone vibrated. It was a message from Xavier. "You said you wanted to get divorced, right? I'll see you at 10:00 am tomorrow." Yvette stared at the text blankly for a while before replying, "Okay." Just one word. It infuriated Xavier and completely ruined his mood. Unable to work anymore, he called up his friends and invited them out for drinks. Daphne was also at the club when he arrived. "I'm not going home until I'm drunk!" she declared. Tristan sat down beside Xavier. He couldn't help asking curiously, "How's Deaf Yvvy?" Xavier raised an eyebrow at him. "There's no need to talk about her ever again. We're filing for divorce tomorrow." Tristan was stunned. He couldn't believe his ears. "Really?" Beside them, Daphne brightened. She poured out a shot for him. "Congrats on getting back your freedom, Xav!" Xavier drank a lot that night. Daphne offered to send him home, but he rejected her suggestion. "No need. It's not appropriate." If he and Yvette were going to get divorced tomorrow, she might come home that night. Daphne wasn't happy about the rejection. "Why? You're divorcing her anyway. Why wouldn't it be appropriate? Are you still scared that she might find out about our relationship?" Their relationship? Xavier narrowed his eyes. "You're overthinking this." He got into his own car. Out of consideration, he also called a cab to send Daphne home. On the drive home, he kept unlocking his phone to check if Yvette had sent him any messages. She hadn't. When he reached Dewberry Estate, it was dark. With a stormy expression, Xavier opened the door and turned on the light. Yvette was nowhere to be seen. She hadn't come home. The manor was left exactly the way it had been when she had left. Still feeling the effects of the wine, Xavier threw himself heavily onto the couch and soon fell asleep. In his nightmares, Yvette was covered in blood, but there was a smile on her face. "I don't love you anymore, Xav," she said. When Xavier jolted awake, the sky outside had just brightened up. He rubbed his forehead and went to the bathroom to freshen himself up. Then, he changed into a smart suit and made his way to the courthouse. At the entrance of the courthouse, he spotted Yvette standing under a tree not far off. As usual, she was dressed in dark-colored clothes. From the distance, she looked incredibly frail and thin as she stood amid the drizzle. It was as if a single gust of wind could knock her over. Xavier could still remember how young and lively she had been when they had first gotten married. She hadn't been as thin and gloomy back then. Holding an umbrella, he walked toward Yvette. It took her a few moments to notice him. Xiaver hadn't changed much over the last three years. He was as handsome and as confident as ever, with the added hint of matureness that came with age. Yvette was a little dazed. The last three years felt like a blink in time to her, yet she also seemed to have exhausted a whole lifetime. Xavier stalked over to Yvette and gazed at her coldly. He was waiting for her to apologize to him. She had been sulking enough. It was time to put an end to this. However, Yvette just said, "I'm sorry to pull you away from your work. Let's go in." Xavier stiffened, but he quickly recovered. "Don't regret this." With that, he turned and headed into the courthouse. Yvette stared after him sadly. Would she regret this? She didn't know either. In the courthouse, the judge asked them if they were sure about going through with the divorce. Yvette's answer was firm. "Yes." Her determined expression frustrated Xavier. After filing for divorce, they still had to return to the courthouse in a month. If they didn't show up, then the divorce would be considered null. As they left the courthouse, Yvette looked at Xavier, her expression unusually calm. "I'll see you next month. Take care." With that, she stepped out into the rain, hailed a cab, and left. Xavier was left standing on the spot. He didn't know how to feel as he watched her car leave. Relieved, probably. Relieved that he wouldn't need to put up with her any longer or endure others' ridicule for having a disabled wife. ... In the cab, Yvette leaned against the window and stared blankly at the rain droplets on the glass. In the rearview mirror, the driver suddenly saw blood dripping from her ear. He was shocked by the sight. "Miss? Miss!" Yvette didn't answer him. The driver hastily stopped the car. Yvette was confused. They weren't at her destination yet. Why had they stopped? She looked over at the driver and saw him mouthing silently. She realized that she had gone deaf again. "I'm sorry, I can't hear you. What are you saying?" In the end, the driver had to type out what he wanted to say on his phone so that he could tell her about her bleeding ear. Yvette reached out belatedly and felt the warm sensation in her ear. She was used to it now. "It's alright. This happens all the time. I'm fine." She was hard of hearing, but her ears hadn't bled like this before. Two years ago, at a gathering, Tristan had pushed her into a swimming pool. Yvette didn't know how to swim, so she had almost drowned. At the same time, her eardrums had also expanded due to the pressure. She had been sent to the hospital, but the damage had been done. At the time, she had been told that everything was fine. Why was this happening again? The cab driver was still worried, so he dropped her off at the hospital she told him. After thanking him, Yvette went into the hospital on her own. This time, she saw her usual doctor, Tom Jensen. "Dr. Jensen, my memory has been rather bad lately. I kept forgetting what I'm doing," she said. When she had woken up at the hotel that morning, it had taken her a long time to remember that she had to file for divorce with Xavier. Tom looked at her latest report worriedly. "Ms. Snyder, I think you should consider getting tested for other things. Specifically, mental health issues." Mental health… Following Tom's recommendation, Yvette went and got a psychiatric diagnosis. She was diagnosed with depression. It turned out that patients with severe depression often experienced memory loss. Before heading back to the hotel, Yvette stopped and bought a notebook and a pen. She wrote down everything that had happened lately. She placed the notebook right beside her bed so that it would be the first thing she saw when she woke up in the morning. News of her and Xavier's divorce spread quickly. That night, Yara called her multiple times, but she didn't hear anything. … When she woke up the next morning, she saw a barrage of texts from Yara. "Where are you?" "Who do you think you are? Even if you're getting a divorce, Xavier should have been the one to ask for it!" "You're such a jinx! Back when you got married, your dad got into a car crash and died. What's going to happen now that you're getting divorced? Do you want Snyder Group to go bankrupt? Is that it?" Yvette stared at the messages. She was used to the verbal bully by now. She typed out a reply. "Mom, it's time that we live by our own merits. We shouldn't depend on others so much." Yara's response was swift. "You're such an ingrate! I shouldn't have given birth to you in the first place!" Yvette didn't bother replying to that. She placed her phone aside. She just had to wait a month. Once the divorce was finalized, she would be able to leave Tirion and start a new life. … Yvette's health worsened over the next few days. She often found herself completely deaf. Sometimes, it took a very long time for her hearing to go back to normal. Her memory was deteriorating too. On the bright side, even though her hearing loss was incurable, at least she could do something about the depression. She tried everything she could to keep herself happy. She busied herself by registering as a volunteer online. She spent time taking care of abandoned old people and orphans. Helping them made her feel like she had a reason to continue living. A few days later, Yvette woke up in the morning and checked her notebook as usual. Then, she got ready to head out to the orphanage. When she picked up her phone, she saw several unread messages. There were messages from Terrance and Yara, as well as Daphne. She opened the texts one by one. Yara: "As you wished, Snyder Group is no more." Terrence: "Keep hiding. You're the most cowardly and cruel person I've ever seen." Daphne: "My condolences, Yvette. Actually, I think Snyder Group would thrive better under Xav." Daphne: "Since your family has helped me so much in the past, do let me know if you need anything. I'll help you if I can." Yvette had no idea what was happening. She closed the messaging app. Almost immediately, she got a notification about the latest news. Chapter 5 Yvette watched the news and saw the press conference held by Lane Group. It was an announcement that Xavier had successfully acquired Snyder Group. James' company no longer existed in the world. … Things on Xavier's end had been extra pleasant lately. He had acquired Snyder Group and gotten his revenge. "The Snyder family finally got what they deserved for tricking you into that marriage three years ago." Tristan chuckled. Yet, he changed the topic in the next instant. He asked Xavier, "Xav, has Deaf Yvvy approached you during the past few days?" Xavier froze halfway through signing a document. He didn't know why, but people around him kept mentioning Yvette these days. "No," he replied coldly. That shocked Tristan. After all, how could Yvette not do anything when something this massive had happened to her family? With that in mind, he spoke again. "Could it be that she's finally come around? I heard her family has been looking everywhere for her. Nobody knows where she's gone—" He kept blabbering on. Xavier frowned, feeling utterly annoyed. "Get out!" Tristan jolted. That was when he realized that Xavier was furious. Not daring to say another word, Tristan bolted out of the CEO's office. Once outside, he took his phone and called his assistant, Avery Fitzpatrick. "Have you found Yvette?" "Yes, she's in a small hotel in Hexim Pass," answered Avery. Tristan had Avery send him the location before he drove there. He refused to let Yvette off the hook so easily. So what if she was willing to divorce Xavier now? She had already prevented Xavier and Daphne from being together for over three years! Besides, Daphne had saved Tristan's life once, so he owed her. It rained outside. Yvette finished her volunteer work and picked up her medication from the hospital. Then, she held an umbrella while walking back to the hotel. There were very few people on the road. Tristan drove his car but kept his eyes on Yvette's slim back. He deliberately sped up as he drove past her, sending a puddle of rainwater splashing onto her. Yvette shot him a blank stare. Tristan happened to meet her emotionless gaze through his rearview mirror. He didn't know why, but he felt inexplicably nervous. Yvette recognized Tristan's luxurious, dark gray Bugatti. Yet, she retracted her gaze and pretended not to notice him. Even so, Tristan refused to stop there. He deliberately slowed his car and followed her. "Hey, Deaf Yvvy. So, you have a temper now, huh? "You're not even going to greet me now? Didn't you used to love greeting me? Didn't you enjoy tickling my fancy?" Yvette remained stoic while the former mocked her. She used to do everything to win over those around Xavier, including his friends. It was all because she liked him. She had figured that Xavier's family and friends would one day accept her. Alas, it seemed she had been too naïve. At the previous gathering, Tristan had declared that he was Daphne's friend. He couldn't care less about maintaining his gentlemanly, upper-class image when siding with Daphne. He had insulted Yvette and called her shameless. In the end, he had also thrown her into the pool, leaving her to die. Since then, Yvette had steered clear of him. Upon receiving no reaction or response from Yvette, Tristan stopped the car, opened the door, and strolled toward her. He grabbed her arm and asked, "What stunts are you planning to pull this time?" Yvette's arm hurt, so she looked up at him. "I don't know what you're saying." She wanted to pry his hand off her arm, but he flung her aside. "Don't touch me with your filthy hands!" Tristan bellowed. Yvette stumbled backward before falling to the ground with a loud thud. Tristan froze on the spot in slight disbelief. It baffled him to see Yvette resorting to such tricks. He had only pushed her with a slight force, so how could she fall like that? Seeing people looking their way, he nervously got back into his car. Still, he gave her a warning before driving away. "Don't mess with Daph just because you're a disabled person, Yvette! "She's different from you. It's taken her a lot of effort to get to where she is now, so you'd better not disrupt her and Xav's relationship again!" After driving away, he even told the Snyder family where Yvette was staying. Yvette's hands and knees were scraped when she fell. It hurt so much that she couldn't stand for a long time. Deep down, she didn't understand why Tristan was so blind to what was right and wrong. She recalled risking her life to rescue him from a car that had been about to explode four years ago. His face had been covered in blood, and his eyes hadn't been visible. However, he had spoken in the warmest voice. He had said, "Thank you. I promise I'll repay you someday." Yvette couldn't help but bitterly wonder if this was his way of repaying her. … Once Yvette returned to the hotel, she took a shower and applied medication to her scraped skin. Then, she lay down in a daze. The fall hardened her determination to leave Xavier for good. … The sun was shining brightly outside when Yvette woke up. She got up and headed to the living area, only to see Yara sitting on the couch, wearing a formal dress. Yara didn't seem to care one bit that Yvette had just woken up. She picked the document off the coffee table and handed it to the latter. "Take a good look at this. It's the backup plan I've selected for you." Yvette accepted the document but saw the title "prenuptial agreement" on the cover. She flipped through the pages while reading the contents aloud. "Ms. Yvette Snyder will marry Mr. Liam Lorimer. As his wife, she'll devote herself to him and look after him until the end of his life. Liam will look after Yvette's family, which includes maintaining their quality of life. He'll also provide 300 million as funds for the Snyder family." Following that, the document stated Liam's details. He was an entrepreneur from the older generation in Tirion. He was 78 years old that year. Yvette's mind tensed. At that moment, Yara spoke up again. "Mr. Lorimer has expressed that he doesn't mind that you were married before. "He'll help revive our family's reputation from the ashes, as long as you marry him. Come on, dearest. You wouldn't let me and Terrence down, right?" Yvette's face paled even more. "I can't agree to what you're asking of me." Yara had never imagined that Yvette would reject her so candidly. She blew up in a fit of rage at once. "What right do you have to refuse? I gave you life!" Hearing that, Yvette met Yara's gaze. "How about I return my life to you? Would that mean I no longer owe you?" "What did you say?" Yara shrilled. Yvette's pale lips moved as she said, "If I returned my life to you, would it mean you'd no longer be my mother? And I'll no longer be indebted to you for giving birth to me?" Yara sneered, not believing Yvette would dare do such a thing. "Okay, then. I won't force you to marry Mr. Lorimer if you give your life back to me. But the question is, do you have the guts to do it?" "Give me a month." Yvette seemed determined. In Yara's eyes, Yvette seemed like a crazed person. She warned, "You'd best not threaten me by only saying you'll end your life. We're not that close, so I don't care if you die. However, you must sign this document if you're too afraid to end your life." … Yvette had suppressed all her emotions to the brim and needed to vent somewhere. So, she went to a bar. She sat in a corner, drinking and watching the crowd happily dance in a daze. That was when a dashing man with striking eyes noticed Yvette, who was all alone. He approached and asked, "Yvette?" Yvette stared at the man but didn't recognize him. Still dazed, she asked, "Do you know how one can achieve happiness?" The man was confused. "What did you say?" Yvette continued drinking as she spoke. "The doctor says I'm ill and should try to be happier, but I can't make myself feel happy…" That sparked discomfort in the man, Claude Lander. He wondered if Yvette had forgotten about him. Also, he was confused by what she said—something about being ill and needing to be happier. "You shouldn't be in a place like this if you want to be happy. Why don't I drive you home?" Claude spoke in a gentle tone. A smile curved across Yvette's face as she looked at him. "You're a good person." Complex emotions stirred in Claude when he saw her bitter smile. He wondered what she had been through these past few years. Why did she seem so sorrowful? Meanwhile, Xavier was also at the bar. After settling the divorce papers, he had let himself loose every night. On top of that, he hadn't returned to Dewberry Estate in a long time. It was getting late. When the crowd was about to leave, Daphne noticed a familiar figure in a corner of the bar. She exclaimed, "Isn't that Yvvy?" Xavier glanced in the direction Daphne was staring in and saw a man merrily chatting with Yvette. His expression soured at once. He was disappointed in Yvette for getting drunk at a bar and chatting up another man. He felt like he had thought too highly of her before. "Should we go and check up on her, Xav?" asked Daphne. "No," was all Xavier said before speedily leaving. On the other hand, Yvette declined Claude's offer. "There's no need to trouble yourself. I can go home on my own." Claude was still worried about Yvette, so he ran after her when he noticed her leaving the bar. "Do you really not remember me?" Yvette gazed at him but couldn't recall who he was. "It's Chubbs. Have you forgotten?" Claude reminded her. Only then did Yvette remember her friend, Chubbs, whom she met when she had been living with Viola in the countryside. Back then, Claude had been chubbier and nowhere near Yvette's height. Yet, his six-foot-two-inch frame now towered over her. He had even grown to have handsome features. "I remember now! You've changed so much. I didn't even recognize you!" said Yvette. Meeting an old friend away from home was a pleasant thing. But only a slight smile curved on Yvette's face. That upset Claude. "Come on. I'll drive you home," Claude stated. When he dropped her off, he was shocked to learn she lived in a run-down hotel. Yvette shifted in embarrassment. "Sorry, it's not a glamorous place. Please don't tell Viola I'm living in such a place. I don't want her to worry." Claude nodded. Since it was getting late, it was unwise for him to stay longer. So, he left after telling Yvette he would visit her the next day. He didn't notice the matte black car lingering in a dark area beneath the hotel as he walked out. Now that Claude had left, Yvette felt dizzy and had an upset stomach from drinking too much. That was when someone knocked hard on the door. Yvette had just opened the door when Xavier grabbed her wrist. He exerted so much strength on her slender wrist that it felt close to snapping in half. "You've made me look at you in a new light, Yvette!" Xavier snarled while shutting and locking the door. He then forcefully led her to the couch. He sneered with words as sharp and lethal as a blade, "So, you've already settled on which family you'll marry into next, huh? I knew you wouldn't be so willing to let me go for no reason!" Yvette didn't know why he had come over, nor did she know how he had seen Claude. She was only briefly dazed. Once she snapped out of it, she shot a furious look at Xavier and didn't bother explaining herself to him. The rims of her eyes reddened. "You and I aren't that different from each other." The Snyder family had tricked Xavier into marrying Yvette. However, Xavier had treated her coldly for three years while remaining entangled with his first love. Neither Xavier nor Yvette was a better person than the other. Xavier had also drunk some wine, so he reeked of it. Eyes reddening, he pinched Yvette's chin and spoke with a dangerously low voice. "Who is he? When did you guys meet?" That was the first time Yvette had seen him behave like this. She suddenly chuckled. "Are you jealous?" Xavier's gaze grew tense as he scoffed. "You're unworthy of such a reaction." Yvette became choked up. That was when Xavier leaned in domineeringly and continued interrogating her. "Has he already touched you? Huh?" In her three years of marriage, Yvette had given up on her work and declined to meet her friends whenever they had occasionally invited her out. She had done so to obey the Lane family's rules. But now Xavier was suspicious of her. Relief washed over Yvette just then. She questioned him back, "What do you think?" That utterly angered Xavier, and his heated hands started travelling down her body. | LEARN_MORE | https://thebvhwysgng.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=1 | Indulge in story | https://www.facebook.com/61552702618591/ | 811 | 0 | 0 | 1969-12-31 18:00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Learn More | 0 | thebvhwysgng.com | DCO | https://thebvhwysgng.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=13092&utm_campaign={{campaign.name}}&utm_content={{campaign.id}}&adset_name={{adset.name}}&adset_id={{adset.id}}&ad_id={{ad.id}}&ad_name={{ad.name}} | 1969-12-31 18:00 | https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/457023493_8130919900276575_3500800934228782898_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=101&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=p40Zou8ympYQ7kNvgH0i6UO&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=AsK4Gykzg9ebCdE0oiCcjYW&oh=00_AYD6jAWHHV5Nwd0eBGqk5aaVp9Vx5MClmoZSZEvdzx7xAw&oe=670A6BDB | PERSON_PROFILE | 0 | 0 | 0 | Indulge in story | 0 | 0 | 1969-12-31 18:00 | View Edit Delete | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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New Socks for the Barefoot Family | Based on a true story, this Christmas play by Linda Kelly and Darby Wills Chism highlights the true meaning of the holiday season...the gift of giving. Perfect for elementary school actors. Easy to stage. Check out "New Socks for the Barefoot Family" at www.BigDogPlays.com where you may read a portion for FREE or purchase a perusal script. FREE SHIPPING on all orders $50 or more. Support a family-owned drama publisher! | SHOP_NOW | https://www.bigdogplays.com/playdisplay.asp?playid | Big Dog Publishing | https://www.facebook.com/BigDogPublishing/ | 513 | 0 | 0 | 1969-12-31 18:00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Shop now | 0 | bigdogplays.com | IMAGE | New Socks for the Barefoot Family by Linda Kelly and Darby Wills Chism | https://www.bigdogplays.com/playdisplay.asp?playid=156 | 1969-12-31 18:00 | https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/461984736_513651774801697_1307063106031316956_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=104&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=dbcDaS3_Ko0Q7kNvgFlQOqt&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=AnjHgiJVYmy4wnD-owApLXV&oh=00_AYBuMtENFPtzSkGUxvdgL9BmYQtz6IzKJsLAz67vJeR2ZQ&oe=670A6502 | PERSON_PROFILE | 0 | 0 | 0 | Big Dog Publishing | 0 | 0 | 1969-12-31 18:00 | View Edit Delete | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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🔥🔥Click to read the next chapter for free👉 | Chapter 1 IRENE'S POV My chast heaved with rapid breaths, my eyes fluttered close. My lips fell open and a moan squeezed past my throat. My fingers were working overtime as I pushed them in and out of my wetness with my legs spread apart in bed. I bit the corners of my lips as I threaded my fingers through my hair, gripping them a bit hard like I suspected he would. I imagined his hands on me instead. His long fingers sliding in and out, coated with my juices. He would stroke my insides while holding my legs apart. "Karson," I moaned when his image was all I could see. I reached out my hand to touch him. To touch his rock hard body and trail my fingers down his chast to the V-line where his towel had hung loose. His scent was buried in my memory. All it took was one sniff and here I was, moaning to this man and bucking my hiips. He looked so much better. His face was more defined and he grew so handsome in a short while. His shoulders were broad and wide. He had a perfect figure and toned body. I increased my pace and I gasped when I found it. I slapped a hand over my mouth. The rising heat in the lower part of my stomach increased. Tears rolled down my face. I craved his touch, his fire. My body ached for his attention, the warmth in his eyes, I desired nothing more- My toes curled and I jerrked my hiips as my body convulsed. I bit into my palm as my orggasm rolled out of me. It took a while to recover. I was breathing hard and trying to gather myself again. This was the state he left me in. every single time we bumped into each other. Just a whiff of his scent and I was squirming for his touch. I almost felt terrible for including him in my little session but he was all I could think about. I've been masturbatting frequently now. My mating ceremony to the man of my fantasies was today. One part of me was pleased and happy with the fact that I would have my long time dream come true; being mated to Karson. He was the soon to be Alpha of The Nightcrawlers Pride. I didn't care about his title, that wasn't the reason I loved him. With or without his title, I was bound to be drawn to him. While one part was pleased, the other part was devastated. As much as I wanted to be his mate, I wasn't. Even worse, Karson seemed to think that I had bewitched Luna- his mother- into arranging our marriage. "She's wolfless, mother," he had said during dinner tonight. His contempt was loud, his mock even louder. I withdrew my hands from the table and hid them under with my head lowered at the usual confrontation. "I know," Luna Teresa's reply was calm like she was unaffected by her son's cruel words. I wished his words wouldn't affect me at all. Yet every time he opened his mouth, I was close to tears. Maybe if I loved him any less, I would have tougher skin and wouldn't be running to my room crying like a three year old. He was right. I was wolfless. It wasn't impossible for a werewolf not to have a wolf, it was just rare to find and even rarer for that wolfless wolf to be Luna, ruling over a powerful pack as The Nightcrawlers Pride. According to the book of records in the Pack, I would be the first wolfless Luna. While breaking a record didn't seem too bad, this wasn't exactly the kind of record I would be boastful of. "Yet you would subject your only son and heir to the Pride Family Pack to this fate?" Karson had asked his mother in an accusing tone that made me stop feeling sorry for myself but sorry for her. A wolfless mate meant one of two things; There was a high chance of birthing a wolfless pup and there was a lower chance of birthing a pup- in this case, the next Alpha. I squeezed my dress in a fist. The pressure that was upon my shoulders was more than anyone could ever imagine. "I have strong faith in our genes," Aunt Teresa- as I'd come to know her, smirked. "After all, your father's family were all Alpha's, down to his mother. So you're from a thick and strong Alpha bloodline. I have faith in you-" "My goodness!" Karson huffed in disbelief. "Can you hear yourself, mother? You're betting everything away for her?" I wanted the soft dining chair that had suddenly grown cold under my bvtt to swallow me. "What’s so special about her anyways!" I've heard that before. It shouldn't be anything new. I've cried my eyes out to those words yet every time he asked, it was a whole different feeling than I had bargained for. I was plain. I had no scent, no wolf, no family. There was literally nothing to my name. All I had was everything Aunt Teresa had given to me since I was five. My parents died in a war and Luna had been so kind as to take me in. She couldn't recall my last name so she gave me Pride instead. I was already sharing a last name with the man I came to love. Karson and I lived under the same roof. Growing up around him had been okay. He never showed me this hate, he never even spoke to me except when we were at the table. But ever since he returned from his training where he stayed away to be Alpha for three years, things had gone down the drain. "This is your doing, isn't it?" I stiffened at his words and finally lifted my gaze. The anger and hate in his eyes was enough to let a tear slide down my eye. He was convinced I had bewitched Luna. After all, why would she decide to kil her own bloodline that had been passed down for years? I quickly wiped my eyes. I didn't want Luna to notice plus Karson would scold me and be cross at me if his mother confronted him about making me cry. I fear he was already running from my reach before I could even stretch out my hands. "I'm sorry, I have no hand in this," I said either way, knowing fully well that he wouldn't believe me. "Don't apologize for things that are beyond your control, Irene," Aunt Teresa wiped her mouth with her napkin and rose to her feet. "You two will be just fine. The mating ceremony is in a few days. Get to know yourselves a lot better," with her little advice, she walked away, allowing fear to step in. Karson would eat me alive now that we were alone. I wanted to run after Aunty but I knew it would be childish- "Don’t get any ideas in your head," Karson stated and I turned my attention to him. His words pierced me like a hot thin needle. "You're only my mother's choice. Once I find my mate, I'll have her as my Luna and you'll step down." I gulped and started to nod slowly at his words. "I don't need you to agree, Irene," he scoffed, reminding me that I didn't have a choice and that he called all the shots. "That's just the way it's supposed to be. Think of this as a way of repaying my mother's kindness all those years." Karson got up and walked out of the table. I tried my hardest to understand him. I guess, in a way, his hate was justified. He returned from his Alpha training only to discover he was arranged to be married. He was stripped of the chance to find his mate and he was stuck with someone as useless as myself. His words, his attitude had screamed one thing. 'Know your place, Irene,' and I read the message loud and clear. **************** Our mating ceremony was a long and torturous one for me. The Pack congratulated us endlessly and the smile I plastered on my face should leave a mark by morning. Karson stood stiffly by my side. We were now the new Alpha and Luna of The Nightcrawlers Pride and we were expected to carry out our duties immediately. While no one would say it, I knew that the 'baby making process' was expected as well. We headed to our new room to commence and mark the final activity for the mating ceremony. A day that I had looked forward to all my life. I was nervous and it didn't seem like a good one. I didn't know what to expect but I was already wet, my niples had rolled into tight buds and they tried to gain attention and drill a hole through my outfit. I stepped into the room before him. "I'll be right back," he said and I nodded, closing the door behind me. Immediately, I dashed to the bathroom and took a shower. I couldn't afford this moment to be ruined. I wrapped the towel around my chast and got out of the shower. My heart hammered in my chast. Karson was staring at me with his undivided attention. His gaze dropped lower and I tightened my hand around my towel. The air was thick and in an instant, he was taking long strides towards me. I met him half way and while my hands reached out to touch his face and pull him into a kiss, his hand grabbed my towel and he yanked it off. I gasped in shock but his hands grabbed my brreasts. I was immediately enveloped in the feel of him. I wrapped my hands around his back as he licked and softly nibbled on my hard niples. His rough hands trailed down my body and kicked my legs apart. He slid two fingers into my core and I gasped at the sudden intrusion. "How are you so wet?" He mumbled to himself. I couldn't breathe. His fingers were bigger than mine so they stretched me more than I had ever done to myself. I felt so full and I hadn't even had the real thing yet. He pumped into me hard and fast, soon my legs shook and my eyes were fluttering close. "Karson," I wanted it now. I wanted it right now. I wanted his shaft filling me up and I wanted his bite mark over my neck. "Fvcking hel, Irene!" He cursed and roughly pulled out his fingers. He grabbed my wrist and made me climb the bed, he pressed a hand to my waist and I knew what he wanted. I stayed ass up, face down. I was exposed to him in that position with my legs spread apart. I gripped the sheets beside my head and waited impatiently. The sound of his zipper fuelled my rising hunger and soon I felt something cold and hard poke at my entrance. Suddenly alarmed, I started to rise, "Karson, wait I've never-" He thrust his full length into me and my jaw dropped open. "Fvck! How are you so...tight!" Karson forced those words through his teeth. The sharp pain I felt was overwhelmed by the pleasure that came soon after. I felt him all the way to the back of my throat. My insides were stretched to their limit and when he pulled out and slammed back in, hard and fast, a tear rolled down my cheek. It was more than I had imagined. It was blissful. I could almost see it. The way he pulled back with my juices coating his shaft, inviting him to slam back in and when he did, I could only chew my lip and let out moans of pleasure. Our first night was pure fvcking and nothing else. I gripped the sheets as he grabbed my waist to meet and take his every thrust. I was gasping for breath and his thrusts were faster, shorter and harder. I wondered how it was even possible to move his hiips like that. I could barely catch my breath. If I died today, I would die a happy, wolfless wolf who finally married the man of her dreams. I needed his bite mark. "Karson," I managed to get the words out in between gasps and moans. My or9asm was sudden and instant. My body shook and convulsed as he kept up his thrusts. I squeezed my eyes shut as the electricity rolled through my vibrating core, clenching down hard on him and svcking him in. He grew harder under in an instant and I soon felt something warm in my belly and his shaft pulsed like a heart pumping. My body was spent and I was too weak to open my eyes. He pulled out and I let out a weak moan. I waited for his touch to find me but the only thing I heard were his footsteps and soon, the sound of the door opening and then closing- announcing his departure. Karson had left without leaving his mate bite behind. Chapter 2 IRENE'S POV I threw my head over her legs as I sobbed like a child. Her gentle pat landed on my head, over and over again. "It's going to be alright, Irene," Aunt Teresa said in a soothing voice. I shook my head against her hand. I could hear my heart breaking at his rejection and words of comfort reached nowhere near to piecing my heart together. "I mean it, Irene," Aunt Teresa sighed. She was adamant on making me feel good this morning. After Karson walked out of the room, he was yet to return and I just couldn't stand the terrible feeling that plagued my heart. So here I was in Aunt's room, crying my eyes out. "Don't shed so many tears, Irene. Your eyes will be puffy," she grabbed my face and jerrked my head up. I could barely see her through my blurry vision but her face was in a small pout and her brows were knitted in a frown. Her long black hair was let down and she looked like a goddess. "Look at you," she sighed. "You're so pretty, don't ruin your face, Irene." She wiped my tears with her thumb and pressed her lips to my forehead in a kiss. I closed my eyes as I tried to relax into it but more tears only poured out when I remembered that Karson didn't even kiss me. I 9roaned, throwing my head back as I sobbed even harder. "He didn't- hic- he avoided- hic- I don't know why- hic- but he didn't- hic-" "Stop crying, Irene. I can't make out your words-" "He didn't make out with me!" I cried harder and stopped to swallow the lump in my throat before I continued again. "It's because I'm wolfless and I'm not even his mate! I have nothing- he hates me," "He doesn't hate you," She tried to assure me. "He just doesn't understand-" "Understand what?" I cried. "I don't understand either. Make me understand-" "Irene!" She grabbed my face again and stared into my eyes. "You can't force your destiny. When the time is right, you'll understand. I have faith in you, Irene." I didn't even have faith in myself but her tone was convincing and the way she stared at me with no joke. She wiped my tears again and I didn't have the heart to produce any more. "Trust me, my dear. You're Luna now and I'm sure you'll be more powerful than ever before." **** I held onto her words and made them my strength but as the days rolled by, my frustration was beyond me that I would lock myself in my room- as Karson never returned- and cried. Our matrimonial bed had become my personal bed. The room we were supposed to share was now my own room. The only time we bumped into each other was during breakfast where we ate in silence or going past his office to mine. The Luna position came with a lot of responsibility and I was still being eased into it. But with Karson's attitude still on my mind, I was always mentally and emotionally stressed by the end of each day. "Luna, is everything alright?" I snapped out of my thoughts at the Beta's voice. Wayne stared at me with a worried look. He had been in my office for a few minutes now but I could hardly recall the issue he had raised. "I'm sorry," I hurriedly apologized and dropped my pen on the desk, giving him my full attention. "I'm fine. You were saying?" He didn't look the least convinced but he had to go on either way. He smiled and the wrinkles around his mouth stretched. He had gotten very old over the years, I guess it was time for him to retire but that was his and Karson's decision to make. "Maybe you should get some rest later,"he suggested and I could only offer him a smile. "I was asking your opinion about weapon storage in the Pack. While we don't have any impending threats, I was thinking it wouldn't be bad to restock and increase our budget." "A few of our warriors with friends from other packs have mentioned the endless amount of weapons over there. I'm afraid they feel ours is lacking behind," he explained. "I understand. But having an endless amount of weapons calls for a higher maintenance budget. If we do that, the tax will increase, the pack members will suffer and all we'll have are weapons while exploiting others," I sighed. "We're building a nation not a military zone. Even during war, we can have enough money and gain the upper hand." "I'm afraid I'll have to decline the request to stock more weapons. Instead, could we cover it by high maintenance of what we already have?" I suggested. Beta Wayne was already nodding with a satisfied smile on his face, "Yes, that could work. You're right. You're a blessing to us, Irene. Our budget is in safe hands. Our Alpha is really lucky to have you by his side." I smiled in response to his words and watched him excuse himself. It was only fair to have brains, in my opinion. After discovering I was wolfless, I trained myself in other ways to help strengthen the Pack and I knew I was successful each time I received praises. Even worse, there was something strange that I had started to notice. Wayne's daughter visited Alpha Karson every day. "Where is the Alpha, Joan?" I asked the maid that served my tea. "He's in his office, Luna," she fidgeted for a while, biting her lip. "With who?" I already knew what she wanted to say. The thought of her answer was already making me squeeze the document I was holding. "Lexie, Luna Irene," she replied in a murmur. I offered her a smile, "Thank you. You can go now." She bowed before rushing out of my office. I leaned back on my seat with a hand over my face and a tired sigh leaving my lips. Her constant visits to the Alpha's study was becoming alarming. They spent every minute together and he rarely had lunch or dinner with me. Her giggles were loud and every time I heard it, I could hear my heart breaking but I would lift my chin and wear a smile. I had loved Karson for years and a little thing like this shouldn't be able to shake me. I shrugged it off my shoulders and tried to concentrate on my duties. I successfully distracted myself till evening but soon came the migraines that were impossible to ignore. I called it a night and started to walk down the hallway. When I approached Karson's door, my heart began to pound. I wondered if he was still in and if he was with her. It was almost 9p.m already and she was supposed to be at home. Besides, I was yet to have dinner and I wondered if he had eaten too. He had successfully avoided me for a whole month, sharing his attention between his work and Lexie. It was strange to think about but I didn't want to ponder on that. Especially when my thoughts would play detective, questioning itself if she was his mate or not. But she wasn't of age yet for him to find out. That was the only thread of hope that I clung onto. "Maybe I could ask if we could have dinner together," I wondered and I slowed down when I got to his door. Karson's scent was faint but it tickled my nose either way, making my niples hard and my core already wet. Being wolfless, I could hardly distinguish between people by their scent nor could I smell everyone but Karson's scent was one I had thought myself to remember. His scent was like wild roses in an open field while Aunt Teresa's scent was warm and sunny. I cherished the little gift I had from having two werewolf parents as Aunt Teresa had told me. We never spoke much about them and I wondered why. All I knew was that they were good people who would do anything for the ones they loved. Sometimes, I wondered if they didn't love me enough to stay alive. Exhaling softly, I held the cold door knob of Karson's office and I pushed it open. "Karson, I was wondering if you'd like to have dinner with-" The rest of the words died in my throat. My eyes widened and I heard my own heart shatter. Dizziness washed over me and my knees wobbled but I gripped the door hard to keep standing. Karson had Lexie in his arms in a hug while he backed her against his desk. His mouth was on her neck and the way she held onto him tightly as if she was in slight pain, I could already tell what was going on. The mate bite he had refused to give me, he was bestowing it upon her. He had marked her without even stopping to consider our mating ceremony- Was she... No! I shook my head even as my thoughts already confirmed it. My lips trembled as tears filled my eyes at the realization. Karson was hel bent upon meeting his mate. He hates our arranged marriage because he didn't have the chance to find his destined mate. She was his mate. The sight before my eyes was growing on my pierced heart that continued to shatter even more. The sight burned right into my head that I was sure I could never forget it even if I were to lose my memory today. I would at least remember that the only man I had ever loved, had finally found his mate and I was nothing to him. I stepped away from the door like it would explode at any minute. "You're only my mother's choice," his words before our mating ceremony began to hunt me. My breathing became ragged and I clutched my chast, tugging at the neck of my dress as I found it hard to breathe. I staggered backwards with eyes wide in horror. I turned and ran into my room, slamming the door behind me. I sagged to the floor with my knees hunched up to my chast. My hands shook and so did my shoulders. The tears fell and all I could do was stare into my palm before slowly placing it over my face. Chapter 3 IRENE'S POV The pain I felt was like a deep hollow of nothingness that delved deeper and deeper even when I tried not to think about last night. The image was engraved in my head. I hadn't slept a wink. I sat up in my bed all night with my thoughts all over hel's half acre. My shoulders were slumped and my hair was let loose to drop down, covering the side of my face. There was a knock on my door but I didn't lift my eyes from the sheets. The knock sounded again and it took a while to recover. I lifted my gaze and sighed, drilling a hole into the door. I didn't want any visitors. I simply wished to sit in my bed all day but that couldn't happen. I muttered a weak "come in," and mentally mocked my sorry tone. "Luna?" A maid stepped in and I locked eyes with her. She gasped with her eyes going wide for a brief second before she lowered her eyes. Did I really look that bad in just one night? "B-breakfast has been served and the Alpha's mother has asked me to come fetch you," she stuttered. "I see," I sighed again and started to drag myself out of bed. My knees were weak from holding me up. "Bring out something for me to wear and... Some make-up for my face." "Y-Yes, Luna!" I showered quickly and dressed up fast. When I stared into the mirror, I shook my head at my sorry self. My eye bags were bad and there were dark circles too. I looked like I had been crying all night. The maid helped in applying the pancake and covering it up. I thanked her and rushed for breakfast after practicing my smile in the mirror. I was going to act like there was no weight in my heart and no turbulence in my head. But my smile froze when I got to the table. Lexie was laughing with Aunty and Karson had a smile on his face while he ate- that was something that had never happened. "Oh, Luna," Lexie's voice was high and she sounded elated. "You're here. We've been waiting for you. Breakfast is almost cold." She was a very pretty young woman with bob brown hair, an oblong face, love shaped bow lip and her body figure was very matured. Her b00bs were bigger than mine and so were her legs. This was probably Karson's type. What was she doing here? Why was she here? She had no right to be here- unless... "Lexie, here, joined us for breakfast," Aunt explained. She probably read the confusion on my face. "Sorry, if it's uncomfortable for you," Lexie said and nervously rubbed her hand on her neck. I saw it. She knew I saw it. The band-aid on her neck was no joke. I had lost Karson and she was making that clear. **** She didn't have breakfast with us every other day. It was just that one time but it sent a clear message to me. My days in his life were numbered. I went down for breakfast with a thudding heart and anxiousness in my womb. Their silence was taking a toll on me. I wondered if it was their plan to drive me mad so they could find an excuse to kick me out but Karson didn't need an excuse to get rid of me. He could do it whenever he wanted since he had found his mate. So why was he holding back? Why were they keeping their affair a secret? My thoughts were ferocious and they showed no mercy. A minute of idleness and I was sinking deep into depression. I picked up more work than usual. An attempt to keep my mind occupied and busy was starting to weigh down on me. I left my office by 2a.m. every day, only to return by 8a.m. I had no complaints whatsoever but after a week, I noticed the workload started to reduce. The usual heap of files I arranged for myself were halved and I was rounding off sooner than I wanted. "Raphael, why is there so little work to do?" I voiced my complaints to the Gamma of the Pack. He was arranging a few files for me to check out and I was already frowning at how little they were. "Shouldn't you be happy?" He asked instead. "You've been working too much of late," he was one of the few who could speak freely to me despite my Luna title. He was a good friend of mine despite still being Karson's Gamma. "I'm not complaining," I told him. "What happened to all the work?" I wanted to sink into work and nothing more. It was my only means of escape at this point. "Well, Alpha Karson shared some of your Luna duties to Lexie-" "What?" I must've misheard. I refused to believe my ears. "What did you just say?" Raphael met my gaze with caution. He was probably debating whether or not to repeat that. In the end, he did. "But, I don't understand... Am I doing something wrong? Did I make a mistake somewhere-" "No, never. Irene, you're perfect. You've been doing everything right from the very beginning," he encouraged, pulling me out from the hands of criticism that my thoughts had wrapped around me. "Then why? I am Luna. Only Luna should handle Luna affairs," I said more to myself, trying to understand the situation and give reasons why it wasn't even making any sense. Raphael glanced away for a moment and my heart sank. "You've been noticing it too, haven't you?" "I'm sorry. I didn't want to tell you so you wouldn't worry so much," He made an apologetic face. "I simply carried out the order. Maybe you could ask him sometime," he suggested. "Would you like to go for a walk? To clear your mind at least?" This was happening too fast for me to wrap my head around. I swallowed hard as I looked around my office. Since when was there a deputy Luna? What was Karson's aim in all of this? Was he trying to ridicule my position or make me know my place? I nodded and he smiled, turning away immediately. "Would you like ice cream or sandwich along the way-" "R-Raphael?" I called and stepped out from behind my desk. He was already at the door when he turned to face me. " Let's go for a smooke break instead," I needed another form of distraction since Karson had taken this one away from me. "What do you mean?" He asked, sounding suspicious. "I want to smooke too." ***** My workload reduced as my deputy Luna took her work seriously. Day by day I did less work but I occupied myself with smooking in my bathroom whenever I could. It was relaxing and it helped me let out some steam. I was in my room by 6pm. that evening, smooking again when I heard a knock on the door. I froze for a moment, looking at the door with furrowed brows. I wasn't expecting anyone. Plus Karson never came here. He had his own room now. "Who is it-" "Irene, dear? Can I come in?" Aunt Teresa's voice had me slamming the ci9arette on the ashtray. I carried it to the bathroom and dumped it in the sink. I rushed out and grabbed my perfumes, spraying the air with my heart beating wildly in my chast. After I sniffed the air and made sure the ci9arette smell was gone, I took a deep breath and opened the door. Her shiny face and warm smile came into view. She stood in a composed manner with her head tipped up. Aunty could never be caught without the aura and grace of a queen. I ushered her in with more enthusiasm than normal and I hoped she wouldn't notice. "You finished your duties a little early. That's good. Why didn't you come over to my room so we could talk?" She wondered, heading to the dropped curtains. "It's quite dark in here," she mumbled to herself and spread the curtain open. I raised a hand to shield my eyes from the light. I preferred the dark and gloomy area. It was a perfect place to hide my shame. How could I even look at myself in the mirror and call myself a Luna? I was a sorry excuse for one. "I didn't want to disturb you with my issues," I intertwined my fingers over my legs as I stood by the door with my eyes on the floor of where she was. She turned her body in my direction, "Oh? That's a first. Is something going on?" Something? More than enough was going on and I doubted Aunty even knew half of it. "Not at all," I shook my head. If Karson wouldn't tell her, then I wouldn't dare to mention it. Aunt Teresa was a supportive mother to both Karson and I. I wondered how she would react to Karson finally finding his mate. I wouldn't want to put her at a crossroad. Actually, I think I just couldn't bear the thought of Aunt Teresa picking Lexie over me. It hurt that Karson already did but it would hurt me more and rip my heart out if the only mother figure I've known all my life were to discard me like I meant nothing. "It's your birthday tomorrow," she announced. "Did you forget?" "Oh," a day I had always looked forward to was now insignificant to me. "I guess I did." She sighed, "Perhaps are you working too much, Irene?" I almost scoffed with my vision blurred with tears, "No, that's impossible. I'm not even doing nearly enough." "What do you mean? You work everyday and you're doing good," she defended. "Are you crying again?" I couldn't help it. My chin was trembling as I tried to hold back my tears. It felt as though a dam was about to break. I felt like a worthless piece of crap. Karson couldn't even trust me with Luna duties anymore, he handed them over to that other woman. What was I thinking? I was actually the "other woman" in their relationship. I was an outsider who could never take the place of his mate. Not that I even wanted to try- far from it! I just wanted Karson to acknowledge my love for him and my efforts to make him happy and satisfied. Was that really too much to ask? I was in Aunt Teresa's embrace by the time I recovered myself. She wrapped her arms around me as I tried to control my sobs. "Don't doubt yourself so much, my dear. Everything will be just fine," she reassured and I nodded even though I knew things wouldn't be fine. They would only get worse and worse with each passing day. I made up my mind to confront Karson about what he had done rather than allow myself to wallow and sink further into self pity and doubt. Aunt Teresa left after informing me she would be returning from a short trip tomorrow evening to celebrate my birthday with me. I took a shower and by evening I was heading to Karson's room. My head was throbbing from a dull headache that had become a constant thing every evening for a week now and my temperature was quite high. I made it to Karson's room and after practicing controlled breathing up to five times, I knocked. "Come in," his voice was soft and it made my heart melt. For a second there I wondered if he was expecting someone else. I walked into his room with his scent hitting me first. It's been a while since I stepped into his personal space. The last time I did that, I nearly had a heart attack from what I saw. Karson was seated on his king sized bed with his head turned to a document. He had moved back to his old room. While everything was familiar in here, the one thing that wasn't was this hot man in nothing but his dark blue pants. I almost drooled just by staring at his chast and bulging muscles. When next would I get to touch his body- "I suppose you didn't come here to stare, right?" His voice interrupted my thoughts and gone was the soft tone that I had received outside the door. He was back to his usual self and cold tone especially with the way he gazed at me with no atom of smile on his face. I summon my courage, "Right. I came because I need answers. You handed part of my duties to Lexie and I'd appreciate it if you could tell me why." His brow arched in a silent question, "It's been a week already. Why is it suddenly so important to know?" He was right. I had taken too long to question him. I should've headed into his office the first time I heard the news. "I know. I've only been wondering if there was something I wasn't doing right," I stated while trying to keep a straight face. "So I took the time to look inwards and question myself-" "There's no need for you to do that, Irene," he tilted his head. "You've managed the Packs finances very well while making sure there's adequate supply of everyone's needs." His compliment left me stunned as I never expected it from him. "Then," I took a step closer. "Why is Lexie acting as a deputy Luna? It is unheard of that Luna's duties are given to someone else. Is there something I should know-" "If that'll be all, I'd like to get back to my duties now. As you can see," he lifted the document slightly. "I'm still occupied." I gaped at him in shock. He was openly dismissing my question about Lexie. Was this what it had come to? "It's my birthday tomorrow," I announced with my eyes on the sheets, wondering if he had ever taken Lexie here and did to her what he did with me during the night of our mating ceremony. Was he more pasionate and gentle? Did he hold her after- I let out a harsh breath as there was nothing but silence. He had turned his attention back to his work and it showed that I wasn't needed here anymore. I quietly left his room and I doubted he even noticed that I was gone. I spent the night with a high fever and a headache but by morning after throwing up a few times, I realized what my condition was. I threw out the ci9arettes and got rid of the ash tray. I got naked and stood in front of a mirror. My breests were fuller and my niples had spread and were wider. Karson would've noticed if he had spared me a minute or more of his time for a little visit. I needed to get out of here. This place was no longer my home. It was only a matter of time before Karson would welcome his mate to his side and she would be made Luna as soon as possible. There was nothing left for me here; not in the pack and not even by his side. I did the only thing I could do at this point; the only thing Karson would appreciate and probably love me for someday... I ran. Chapter 4 IRENE'S POV FIVE YEARS LATER "Carl! Karin! Mummy's leaving!" The nanny announced with a loud voice and in less than two seconds, two preschoolers ran out with their chubby cheeks. The boy- Carl- was holding his favorite dinosaur toy with his black hair disheveled on his head. His smile was wide as he ran out and his arms opened wide while Karin- the girl- had her usual frown on her face. She practically glared at everything as she approached. I squatted before the couch as they approached me. I wrapped my arms around them, pulling them into a hug when they got closer. "M-Mummy," Carl stuttered excitedly. When I pulled away and stared into their faces, Karin was wearing a smile. She only ever smiled when she was around me. The nanny was already complaining that she was scared of her. But what could a four year old do to a full grown woman? "Karin, did you pull your brother's hair again?" I arched my brows and she tensed with her smile freezing on her face. Her dark hair was in two ponytails. I wondered how long it had taken Nanny May to successfully do that. She shook her head aggressively and I glanced at Carl who was already playing with his dinosaur. Ignoring our conversation like it was past tense to him. "Are you lying?" I tried again and when she nodded, I covered my face with a smile. "Your honesty is appreciated but you have to stop pulling his hair. You'll turn him into an old man." I could feel my wolf smiling proudly as we stared at the duo who almost never got along. It almost reminded me of the relationship I had with their father. "Anyways!" I said to my pups and to my thoughts but that got their attention anyways. "I'm leaving-" "Where?" Karin's frown was back on her face- she was the bossy one- and Carl looked like he was about to start crying. "N-No no, I'll be back soon, I promise. I have to meet up with the Alpha," I touched their cheeks and brought them closer for a kiss. "Remember, do not shift before anyone except me, okay?" I repeated the only rule we had and they nodded in silence. "Thank you, baby," I kissed their foreheads and spoke loudly this time, "Make sure to listen to Nanny May, okay?" But they were already running away before I could get the words out. I stepped out of the house with a weird feeling in my chast. It always felt this way whenever I had to leave them with anyone even for a second. Especially now that I'd be away for two nights. I trusted the twins not to break the rule but it was concerning to think about. They were only four years old. Since when did four year olds start to shift? Heck! I didn't even get my wolf until after I gave birth. It was a whole new experience for me, especially trying to connect with her. The link between us was like a thin thread but it had gradually advanced over the years. "Ready to go?" I was pulled out of my thoughts at the sound of my Alpha's voice. A bulky man with light brown skin and wild hair. Despite being in his thirties, he didn't look a day over twenty. He still looked so young and agile. Alpha Lucas was leaning over his Jeep and I rushed to him. We got into the car and drove down to where the meeting was supposed to take place. It was the third cross pack meeting our Pack would hold after five years and I was really looking forward to it. I had received his orders to participate and I had already prepared my speech but my stomach still tied itself in a knot due to nervousness. It had been a long time since I was made to handle such responsibility. I knew I was once Luna for The Nightcrawlers Pride and I delivered speeches to the Pack during the time I was there but that was a long time ago. We arrived at the hotel scheduled for the meeting in less than two hours and the hall was already filled with Alpha's of different pack's and their Beta's, talking and catching up while others were getting to know each other. "You look nervous," Alpha Lucas leaned down to whisper close to my ears. I blinked up at him, a bit uncomfortable by his sudden closures and he smiled, taking a step back. "Is it that obvious?" My cheeks were flushed from the idea of everyone reading my body language. I had gained a few of their attention but I lifted my head and avoided their gaze. I knew how Alpha's could get with their ego's. I wouldn't want to step on toes here. "Only to me," he shrugged. "But you look elegant and calm like a Luna," he complimented and I smiled tightly at the use of that title. No one in The Howlers Pack knew of my past. When I ended up here five years ago, I was almost knocked over by his car. He took me in as a rogue who had decided to acknowledge an Alpha and we've not once talked about my past, not even when I found out I was pre9nant. "You say the loveliest things to me, Alpha Lucas," I told him and I really meant it. He was like that guardian angel that kept cheering me on. "You know I would say even lovelier things and do much more for you if you agree to be my mate," he tried again with a daunting smile on his lips. He was a very good looking man who could get away with anything if he smiled. It was sad to know he lost his mate several years ago and he never spoke about her. He was convinced I was his second chance mate and he had been trying, for what three to four years now? I had lost count of how many times he had tried to convince me but each time I repeated the same old lines. "You're talking to a-" "...a brick wall whose heart can never beat again," he rolled his eyes as he finished my lines. "I know, I know. I've heard that before. Sometimes I wish I could find the basstard who dared to break your heart and make him pay." I laughed, placing a hand on his arm. It was funny hearing him say that and also very sweet. He cared deeply about me and I knew I could never repay his kindness in the way he wanted. "Can I see the list of Pack's that'll be attending?" I asked, changing the topic and he went along with it. He handed me a book that had all the twenty lists of Pack names with their Alpha and I scanned them. Eighteen out of twenty had already ticked in while two were left out. "Black Might Pack- Alpha John and Beta Phillip," I mumbled, reading to myself. "And The Nightcrawlers Pride," I froze and stopped breathing. I caught a whiff of something familiar in the air. It sparked memories that I had sought to bury. The scent of wild rose filled my nose and I gulped as I slowly lifted my gaze towards the door. I held the gaze of familiar black eyes that made my heart slowly start beating again before picking up the pace. He occupied the whole room and everyone else disappeared. He scanned the room as he buttoned his black suit that hugged his wide frame. His eyes landed on mine and I felt my heart skip a nervous beat. He was staring and I couldn't bring myself to look away. Could he recognise me? I wasn't the same woman when I left the pack five years ago. I was way different as my body had developed and I had added flesh in all the right places. Still he stared like he knew and I saw recognition flash in his orbs. "Irene, are you okay?" I felt Alpha Lucas place a hand on my shoulder with his tone filled with worry and just like that, Karson's brows furrowed in a deep frown as his eyes darted back and forth in an angry and suspicious stare between me and my new Alpha. | LEARN_MORE | https://befant.com/market/buenovela/3?lpid=14374&u | Indulge in story | https://www.facebook.com/61552702618591/ | 811 | 0 | 0 | 1969-12-31 18:00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Learn More | 0 | befant.com | DCO | https://befant.com/market/buenovela/3?lpid=14374&utm_campaign={{campaign.name}}&utm_content={{campaign.id}}&adset_name={{adset.name}}&adset_id={{adset.id}}&ad_id={{ad.id}}&ad_name={{ad.name}}&placement={{placement}} | 1969-12-31 18:00 | https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/461262119_567752125679105_1113191889968315431_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=104&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=ND6VbvtXHJsQ7kNvgHQrgNC&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=AWotyg02B7RtAEK3rZLXGyt&oh=00_AYBr33nzm2FyTKv4MGDbUbxeeG9NyxlBxaxJr3IlOIwf4w&oe=670A70B4 | PERSON_PROFILE | 0 | 0 | 0 | Indulge in story | 0 | 0 | 1969-12-31 18:00 | View Edit Delete |
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