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1,952,748	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	No	2024-08-01 19:12	active	1201	485121617852417	What happens next👉Click Here to read on👉	Chapter 1<br /> The man's kisses rained down on Tiffany Lloyd's body. <br /> <br /> Time passed until, finally, the storm subsided. Tiffany curled up in the man's warm embrace, drifting into a deep sleep...<br /> <br /> The next morning, Tiffany rolled over. Her fingers made contact with something warm.<br /> <br /> The unfamiliar sensation made her jolt awake. As she slowly opened her eyes, a handsome face appeared before her.<br /> <br /> "Huh? Mr. Lewis?" Tiffany's mind went blank for two seconds. Then, flashes of what had happened the night before flooded back into her mind.<br /> <br /> Her eyes flew wide as she bolted upright.<br /> <br /> Her entire body was sore and aching. But what hurt more was the scene before her eyes. <br /> <br /> She was in a spacious tent, and the sheets were tousled around her. Vincent Lewis was stark naked, save for a thin blanket around his waist.<br /> <br /> Tiffany sat stunned, as if struck by lightning. She felt like the world had collapsed in that instant.<br /> <br /> Last night hadn't been a dream?<br /> <br /> She was an intern who had just joined the company half a month ago. And now she had slept with her boss. <br /> <br /> As Tiffany reeled, Vincent's hand moved, indicating that he was rousing from his slumber. <br /> <br /> Terrified, Tiffany frantically got dressed and fled. In her rush, she didn't notice the pearl bracelet lying by the pillow.<br /> <br /> Outside, the day had yet to break. The bonfire from the night before had smoldered, leaving a trail of smoke rising from it.<br /> <br /> Dozens of tents surrounded the area. Tiffany dashed barefoot across the grass and quickly disappeared into a pale pink tent.<br /> <br /> As soon as she lay down, Kelly Harrison, her colleague, rolled over. As their eyes met, Tiffany's breath caught in her throat.<br /> <br /> But Kelly only glanced at Tiffany before closing her eyes again. She casually asked, "What were you doing out so early?"<br /> <br /> "I… I just went to the restroom," Tiffany choked out, her mind racing.<br /> <br /> Kelly didn't pry further. Soon, her breathing became even once more.<br /> <br /> Tiffany exhaled in relief, but her heart was still pounding wildly. She stared unblinkingly at the tent ceiling until the sky brightened outside and everyone else woke up. Still, she remained huddled inside.<br /> <br /> She could hear her colleagues' laughter and chatter outside. Tiffany cocooned herself, leaving only her head peeking out from the covers, her eyes wide.<br /> <br /> Kelly unzipped the tent and peered in. "Tiffany, get up. We'll eat breakfast and then go hiking."<br /> <br /> They were on a company team-building camping trip in a scenic mountain area for several days. <br /> <br /> Yesterday had been the first day, so everyone had settled in and had quite a few drinks at night. <br /> <br /> Tiffany hadn't planned to drink. However, since she was new, she had felt pressured to bond with her colleagues over drinks.<br /> <br /> She had never imagined that those few drinks would have led to such a disaster. <br /> <br /> She didn't know how it had happened, but she had stumbled into the wrong tent. Somehow, she had accidentally ended up sleeping with Vincent!<br /> <br /> Thinking about it made Tiffany's head ache again.<br /> <br /> "Tiffany? Tiffany?" Kelly called out several times, but there was no response. She took off her shoes and entered the tent. "What's wrong?"<br /> <br /> Tiffany sniffled, feeling like crying. Her voice was muffled. "It's nothing."<br /> <br /> Kelly reached out and felt her forehead. "Oh, dear, you have a fever!"<br /> <br /> "I'm fine." Tiffany bit her lip, resisting the urge to cry. Her voice was dull. "I'll just lie down. You guys go ahead and go hiking. Don't worry about me."<br /> <br /> Kelly wasn't convinced, so she brought two antipyretic pills. Then, she made Tiffany take them before leaving with the others to hike.<br /> <br /> When silence enveloped her, Tiffany finally succumbed to her distress and began sobbing.<br /> <br /> Her body ached terribly, and she still bore marks from last night's pleasure. She didn't know if it was because her senses were heightened, but she felt like she could still smell Vincent's scent.<br /> <br /> Now that she had a fever, Tiffany felt like a duck being roasted over a fire. She felt so terrible that she wished she were dead.<br /> <br /> ...<br /> <br /> The hiking group had assembled at the foot of the mountain. When Vincent stepped out of the car, the women's gazes were immediately drawn to him.<br /> <br /> "Ah, Mr. Lewis looks so handsome!"<br /> <br /> "We always see Mr. Lewis in suits, but he looks incredible in casual wear too!"<br /> <br /> "Hey, you're practically drooling!"<br /> <br /> "I've had my fill of eye candy!"<br /> <br /> Vincent strode over, exuding a commanding air. His eyes scanned the crowd from behind his sunglasses. His voice was deep as he asked, "Did everyone sleep well last night?"<br /> <br /> Everyone replied in unison, "Yes."<br /> <br /> Vincent frowned slightly and tilted his head, gesturing to his assistant, Alex Zander. <br /> <br /> Getting the cue, Alex asked them sternly, "Did anyone enter Mr. Lewis' tent last night?"<br /> <br /> Everyone looked at each other and shook their heads. <br /> <br /> Even if some of the assistants were attracted to Vincent, they were all still employees of Lewis Group. They wouldn't dare risk their careers by sneaking into Vincent's tent.<br /> <br /> Seeing that no one had admitted to it, Vincent frowned even more. <br /> <br /> He raised the bracelet made of white pearl beads. "Whose is this?"<br /> <br /> Still, everyone shook their heads. None of them recognized the bracelet.<br /> <br /> "If anyone knows whose bracelet this is, let me know." Vincent's voice was grave. Then, he added, "You will be rewarded… and your year-end bonus will be doubled."<br /> <br /> His words caused an uproar.<br /> <br /> "Double?"<br /> <br /> "My bonus was 100 thousand last year. Did he say double? That's 200 thousand dollars! Awesome!"<br /> <br /> "Whose bracelet is that anyway?"<br /> <br /> "It looks quite plain, though. Is it worth that much?"<br /> <br /> "Kelly, do you know whose it is?"<br /> <br /> "Huh?" Kelly snapped out of it. She had a rather odd expression on her face. "No idea..."<br /> <br /> "Alright, let's take attendance." Alex began calling names.<br /> <br /> When he reached Tiffany, there was no response.<br /> <br /> "Where's Tiffany Lloyd?" Alex asked.<br /> <br /> Kelly stepped forward. "Tiffany is sick, so she's in her tent."<br /> <br /> "Sick?" Alex looked at Vincent, unsure of what to do.<br /> <br /> Vincent sat in the black car. He looked lost in thought as he fiddled with the bracelet. Alex didn't dare to disturb him, so he finished checking everyone's attendance and said, "Let's get going then."<br /> <br /> Closing his notebook, Alex walked to the car. "Mr. Lewis, are you joining the hike?"<br /> <br /> Vincent looked weary and seemed uninterested. His gaze was fixed on the bracelet. After a moment, he said flatly, "I'll pass. You can lead the team."<br /> <br /> "Alright, Mr. Lewis."<br /> <br /> "Kelly, what are you looking at?" Ivy Jones tugged Kelly's arm. "Hurry up! The first ten to reach the top get prizes!"<br /> <br /> "Okay." Kelly nodded, but she couldn't help glancing back. All she saw was the black car speeding toward the campsite on the winding mountain road.<br /> <br /> Kelly suddenly turned to Alex and said, "Mr. Zander, I'm worried about Tiffany. I'm sitting this one out to stay with her."<br /> <br /> "Okay."<br /> Chapter 2<br /> Tiffany woke up from her nap, feeling her mouth parched dry. She groggily crawling out from the tent, a pair of men's sneakers suddenly appeared before her. <br /> <br /> As her eyes trailed upward from the sneakers, she saw a pair of long and slender legs. As the sunlight pierced through the mist, Tiffany saw Vincent's face. She almost fainted on the spot.<br /> <br /> "M-Mr. Lewis?" Wasn't he supposed to go hiking?<br /> <br /> Vincent squatted before her and looked at her cheeks, flushed from the fever. His expression was grave. "I have a question for you."<br /> <br /> Tiffany's heart pounded. Licking her dry lips, she nodded shakily. "Y-Yes... Go ahead."<br /> <br /> "Did you see anyone enter my tent last night?" Vincent's gaze bored into her eyes. His overwhelming presence made it feel like an invisible hand was squeezing her chest, almost crushing her heart.<br /> <br /> Tiffany avoided his stare, her eyelashes fluttering. "N-No, I didn't see anyone."<br /> <br /> "Why are you trembling?" Vincent noticed her unusual behavior.<br /> <br /> It wasn't just her voice, even her whole body was shaking uncontrollably. She was so slim that Vincent feared she would break from how much she was shaking.<br /> <br /> He had dozens of assistants in his office, and each of them were responsible for different fields. <br /> <br /> Tiffany was a new intern, but he vaguely remembered her because of how timid she was. <br /> <br /> During her first interview, Tiffany had been utterly nervous when he had asked her questions. She had kept her head down the entire time, too afraid to meet his gaze.<br /> <br /> "I-I'm cold." Tiffany shivered harder.<br /> <br /> "Cold?" Vincent frowned. "But aren't you running a fever? How can you be cold?"<br /> <br /> Reaching out, his icy fingers touched her forehead. The next second, he frowned deeply. "What's going on? You're burning up!"<br /> <br /> "Mr. Lewis, I'm fine." Tiffany shivered violently, feeling utterly miserable. <br /> <br /> She tried to get up, but she had no strength left. She could only curl up helplessly on the grass as she felt her consciousness fading...<br /> <br /> "Tiffany?" Vincent sensed that something was wrong and tried to wake her up. <br /> <br /> At first, Tiffany mumbled a faint response but then lost consciousness completely.<br /> <br /> Without hesitation, Vincent bent down and scooped her up in his arms. She looked so thin, and she barely weighed a thing.<br /> <br /> As Vincent looked at her, he noticed a hickey on her neck. His eyes narrowed.<br /> <br /> "Mr. Lewis!" A voice pierced through the silence of the forest.<br /> <br /> Kelly had run back all the way. Her hair was disheveled, and she was panting heavily.<br /> <br /> Vincent asked, "Why did you come back?"<br /> <br /> Kelly looked at the unconscious Tiffany cradled in his arms. Catching her breath, she said, "I... I was worried about Tiffany, so I came back to check on her. What happened?"<br /> <br /> "She passed out from a high fever," Vincent said as he placed Tiffany in the car's backseat. "I need to take her to the hospital now."<br /> <br /> As he was about to get into the car, Kelly anxiously reached out and grabbed the door handle. "Mr. Lewis, can I come too?"<br /> <br /> Vincent eyed her with scrutiny. "Tiffany and I are colleagues," Kelly explained. "And we're both women, so I may be able to help."<br /> <br /> Her reasoning made sense, so Vincent agreed.<br /> <br /> …<br /> <br /> At the hospital, the doctors admitted Tiffany and started her on an IV drip. <br /> <br /> Kelly went to get some water. When she returned, she saw Vincent standing at the foot of Tiffany's bed. He was deep in thought as he stared at the unconscious Tiffany.<br /> <br /> "Mr. Lewis." Kelly poured him a cup of water. "Have some water."<br /> <br /> "Thanks." Vincent took the cup but set it aside. "What's your name?"<br /> <br /> Kelly was momentarily taken aback. Then, she realized that, even though he had many assistants, only Alex was the only one by his side around the clock.<br /> <br /> Kelly wasn't exactly an outstanding employee or good at her work, so she had rarely had the chance to interact with Vincent before. It was normal that she didn't know her name.<br /> <br /> "Kelly Harrison, sir. I'm your—"<br /> <br /> "Ms. Harrison, I need you to help me confirm something." Vincent interjected.<br /> <br /> A hint of disappointment flickered in Kelly's eyes, but she maintained her smile. "Sure, what is it?"<br /> <br /> After Vincent gave her some instructions, he left the room.<br /> <br /> Kelly bit her lip, taking slow steps toward the bed. She had mixed emotions as she looked at the unconscious Tiffany. <br /> <br /> Recalling Vincent's request, she pursed her lips and began unbuttoning Tiffany's shirt. <br /> <br /> As all the buttons came undone, Kelly saw the marks on Tiffany's body. She immediately covered her mouth in shock.<br /> <br /> …<br /> <br /> "Mr. Lewis, where did you go?" Alex called after returning to the campsite with the group and realizing that Vincent was nowhere to be found. <br /> <br /> Vincent replied, "Tiffany fainted, so I took her to the hospital."<br /> <br /> "Tiffany, the intern?" Alex expressed mild surprise. It wasn't because Vincent had personally taken Tiffany to the hospital, but rather because Vincent had remembered an intern's name.<br /> <br /> Considering the fact that Vincent had dozens of assistants, he hardly remembered anyone apart from Alex.<br /> <br /> Yet, he had remembered Tiffany's name, which was quite remarkable.<br /> <br /> "Yes." Vincent glanced at his wristwatch and said, "You guys have fun. I'll distribute the prize money after we get back."<br /> <br /> After giving some brief instructions, he hung up. <br /> <br /> At that moment, Kelly emerged from Tiffany's room. Vincent looked at her and asked, "So?"<br /> <br /> Kelly met his gaze calmly. "I've checked. There's nothing unusual on Tiffany's body. The hickey on her neck that you mentioned… It's probably from her boyfriend."<br /> <br /> "Boyfriend?" Vincent frowned slightly but didn't pry further.<br /> <br /> Kelly asked, "Would you like to see her? She'll probably wake up soon."<br /> <br /> "No." Vincent's expression returned to normal. "I have other matters to attend to. When she wakes up, make sure to contact her family."<br /> <br /> "Sure, Mr. Lewis. Don't worry."<br /> <br /> Kelly saw Vincent out before returning to Tiffany's room. Tiffany was already awake, but she still looked very weak. <br /> <br /> Kelly sat by the bed. "Tiffany, you're awake. How are you feeling? Any better?"<br /> <br /> Tiffany nodded. "Am I in the hospital?"<br /> <br /> "Yes." Kelly poured her a glass of water, smiling. "Mr. Lewis brought you here, and he even carried you."<br /> <br /> Tiffany choked on the water. "Mr. Lewis?"<br /> <br /> "That's right," Kelly teased. "Tiffany, do you think Mr. Lewis has taken a liking to you? I've been at the company for over a year, and I've never seen him carry a woman before."<br /> <br /> Tiffany's face blushed. "No way."<br /> <br /> "Why not? You're pretty, young, and have a nice figure. Many bosses prefer innocent-looking women. If you don't have a boyfriend, maybe you should consider Mr. Lewis seriously. He's quite a catch—"<br /> <br /> Tiffany cut her off, saying, "I have a boyfriend." <br /> <br /> Only then did Kelly stop. "Really?" <br /> <br /> Tiffany bit her lip. "Yes."<br /> Chapter 3<br /> After Tiffany finished a few bags of IV, her fever finally subsided. However, the doctor said she had a bacterial infection with internal inflammation. <br /> <br /> Although the fever was temporarily gone, she needed to come to the hospital for two more days to get treated with an antibiotic infusion.<br /> <br /> In the evening, Teresa Lloyd, Tiffany's sister, hurriedly burst into the hospital room. "Tiffany, are you okay?"<br /> <br /> As she saw Teresa, Tiffany's eyes welled up. "I'm fine, Teri."<br /> <br /> "How did this happen? You were perfectly healthy." Teresa looked at Tiffany, her face etched with concern. <br /> <br /> They had lost their parents when they were young. Teresa was seven years older than Tiffany and had played the roles of both a mother and a sister in Tiffany's life. She had raised Tiffany, and their bond was deep.<br /> <br /> Not wanting to worry Teresa, Tiffany blinked back tears. "I caught a cold last night and got a fever. But I'm much better now."<br /> <br /> Seeing that Tiffany looked better, Teresa relaxed slightly. She then turned to Kelly, who was standing beside her. "And you are?"<br /> <br /> "Hello, I'm Kelly Harrison, Tiffany's colleague." Kelly politely extended her hand and shook hands with Teresa.<br /> <br /> "Oh, are you the one who brought Tiffany to the hospital?"<br /> <br /> "No." Kelly shook her head. "Our boss did. I just stayed with her for the day."<br /> <br /> "Well, thank you. Tiffany is quite reserved; she's lucky to have a good colleague like you."<br /> <br /> "You're too kind." Glancing at the time, Kelly guessed Vincent wouldn't visit again today. So, she grabbed her purse. "Since you're here, I'll leave Tiffany to you and head back."<br /> <br /> Teresa escorted Kelly out. When she returned, she remarked, "She seems nice. Is she a new friend?"<br /> <br /> Tiffany shook her head. "We hardly talk at the office."<br /> <br /> Kelly had been usually friendly earlier, but in the office, she was closest to Ivy. Tiffany was shy and rarely socialized, choosing to keep her head down and work instead. She did find it odd that Kelly had been so attentive today.<br /> <br /> "Still, it's nice she stayed with you the whole day."<br /> <br /> "Yes." Tiffany decided she would return the favor to Kelly when she had the chance. She disliked owing others. <br /> <br /> Teresa said the hospital was too noisy and suggested they go back home. Tiffany didn't mind the noise, but she felt unsettled without Teresa around, so she agreed. <br /> <br /> As they left the hospital, a gust of cold wind blew by them. Teresa draped her coat over Tiffany's shoulders.<br /> <br /> Though Teresa was dressed lightly, she prioritized keeping Tiffany warm. Tiffany bit her lip and hastened her steps to get into the cab.<br /> <br /> While they were on the way home, Eric Cobb, Teresa's husband, called her. He said he had a business engagement and would be home late, so they shouldn't wait for him for dinner. <br /> <br /> Teresa gave him a few reminders, which Eric curtly acknowledged before impatiently hanging up on her.<br /> <br /> Tiffany squeezed Teresa's hand. "Teri, I want to eat pasta made by you for dinner."<br /> <br /> Teresa smiled. "Sure. I'll make them for you when we get home."<br /> <br /> "Okay."<br /> <br /> Once they got back to their apartment, Teresa helped Tiffany into her room and propped a pillow behind her back. She poured a cup of hot water for Tiffany and then felt her forehead in concern. <br /> <br /> "Rest here. I'll make the pasta for you. Call me if you need anything."<br /> <br /> Tiffany obediently nodded. "Okay."<br /> <br /> Teresa tied on an apron and headed to the kitchen to cook pasta. When Tiffany heard the sounds from the kitchen, she threw the blanket off and got out of bed. <br /> <br /> She tiptoed into Tiffany's bedroom. Then, she opened the bedside table's drawer and easily found some contraceptive pills. She quickly glanced at the instructions on the box and swallowed two pills. <br /> <br /> After dinner, Tiffany took a bath. After taking off her clothes, she stood in front of the mirror and stared at the marks on her body. <br /> <br /> Last night's madness flashed through her mind, the memories haunting her. <br /> <br /> Tiffany slept restlessly that night. Perhaps she had slept too much during the day, or maybe it was because she still felt unwell.<br /> <br /> In her hazy state, she heard the sounds of an argument drifting from outside. Rubbing her temples, she rose from bed and opened the door a crack.<br /> <br /> The lights in the living room were on. A man's tie and shoes scattered on the floor. Eric lay sprawled on the couch, reeking of alcohol. <br /> <br /> Teresa was tidying up as she spoke. "Didn't I tell you to drink less? Look at you. You'll have a headache again tomorrow—"<br /> <br /> "Blah, blah, blah. All you do is nag," Eric slurred. "You think I want to be like this? I do it for you. For this family. For your deadbeat sister."<br /> <br /> Annoyed, Teresa said, "Don't talk about Tiffany like that."<br /> <br /> "Why not?" Eric raised his voice. "I pay for her food and drinks, and she lives under my roof. And I can't talk about her? Those who don't know she's your sister might think she's the queen of the house!"<br /> <br /> "Tiffany has found a job. She's been contributing to expenses since she was a freshman. When has she ever used your money?" Teresa defended Tiffany.<br /> <br /> Eric pointed at her. "Fine, then! If she's so capable, you'd better have her move out tomorrow. I'm sick of seeing her!"<br /> <br /> "Tiffany is my sister, my only family. She hasn't even graduated, and she's just found a job. How can you kick her out now?" Teresa retorted.<br /> <br /> Eric gestured wildly, looking unapologetic. "This is my house. I'm the one paying the mortgage every month. I make the rules. If I want her out, she's out!"<br /> <br /> "You..." Teresa was on the verge of tears.<br /> <br /> Eric passed out drunk.<br /> <br /> After a while, Teresa wiped her tears and said, "Alright, go take a shower and sleep in the bedroom."<br /> <br /> Tiffany quietly closed the door. She lay back down, but her eyes remained open; she hardly slept a wink through the night. <br /> <br /> …<br /> <br /> Early the next morning, Tiffany prepared breakfast. She left an envelope and a note for Teresa, then dragged her suitcase out of the apartment. <br /> <br /> Tiffany was partly the reason Teresa had married Eric. Teresa had often mentioned that, as women who were alone in the world, they faced many hardships. She believed having a man at home would deter others from bullying them.<br /> <br /> Teresa wasn't highly educated. She struggled to make ends meet by running a stall on the street. Buying a house and settling down had become a distant dream.<br /> <br /> Eric, an ordinary college graduate, worked at a listed company. He had been nice at first, but he had soon become irritable, perhaps from stress. He often came home drunk and argued with Teresa. <br /> <br /> Thinking of Tiffany, Teresa always backed down when they fought.<br /> <br /> Tiffany knew Teresa still loved Eric. But no love could withstand the trials of daily life.<br /> <br /> Tiffany didn't want to be a burden to Teresa and Eric. She wished they could have a better life and hoped to make things easier for them by moving out.<br /> <br /> The elevator stopped at the eighth floor. As the doors opened, Tiffany came face-to-face with the people standing outside. Her grip on the suitcase handle tightened.<br /> <br /> Chapter 4<br /> Tiffany had never thought that her boyfriend would cheat on her with her best friend. She had always thought that such things were just absurd fiction. Until it happened to her. <br /> <br /> Tiffany finally understood the phrase "art is a reflection of life".<br /> <br /> She still remembered the day she had gone into her dorm room and seen William Lewis and Brianna tangled together. The shock and betrayal had cut deep.<br /> <br /> Brianna had been her best friend, and William had been the person she had relied on the most besides Teresa. Yet, they had hurt her in the dirtiest, sharpest way.<br /> <br /> "Tiff?" Brianna froze.<br /> <br /> Tiffany averted her gaze and dragged her suitcase aside. She didn't plan to make small talk. <br /> <br /> The past was past. <br /> <br /> She had broken up with William and cut Brianna off too. She didn't want anything more to do with them.<br /> <br /> Brianna clung to William's arm as they walked in. As the elevator doors closed, Brianna turned to Tiffany. "I heard you got a job. Are you going on a business trip?"<br /> <br /> Tiffany nodded curtly in response, going along with it.<br /> <br /> Seeing Tiffany's reaction, Brianna didn't say more.<br /> <br /> As the elevator reached the ground floor, Tiffany dragged her suitcase out. But to her surprise, one of the wheels got stuck in a gap. Her face reddened, and she tugged on the suitcase. But it wouldn't budge.<br /> <br /> Just as she was at a loss for what to do, William reached out. With a light push, he freed the wheel.<br /> <br /> "Thank you," Tiffany mumbled before fleeing with her suitcase.<br /> <br /> The elevator doors closed, and it continued downward.<br /> <br /> Brianna glanced at William. "Tiffany seems different. I wonder if she's still mad at us. Do you think I should meet her and apologize properly?"<br /> <br /> "Is that necessary?" William said flatly. "It is what it is. Will apologizing change anything?"<br /> <br /> Brianna pouted. "William, are you blaming me?"<br /> <br /> William didn't respond.<br /> <br /> Brianna withdrew her hand from his. "William, if you can't move on from Tiffany, I'll explain things to her. It was my fault to begin with, and I can take the blame. Tiffany is soft-hearted. She'll surely forgive you..."<br /> <br /> The elevator opened to the bright underground parking garage.<br /> <br /> Brianna ran out of the elevator, crying. She ended up in the way of a speeding car. The horn blared. <br /> <br /> Brianna froze. She raised a hand feebly in front of her face, forgetting to move.<br /> <br /> Luckily, William reacted fast and pulled her back just in time. The brakes screeched as the car barely missed them. The driver stuck his head out and cursed at them before driving off.<br /> <br /> "Are you out of your mind?" William held Brianna's wrist, his voice trembling.<br /> <br /> That had been too close. One more second, and she would have been hit.<br /> <br /> Brianna's face was drained of color as tears streamed down. She trembled and collapsed against William, speechless.<br /> <br /> William sighed and wrapped his arms around her soothingly. "Don't cry."<br /> <br /> …<br /> <br /> Tiffany took a cab back to the dormitory. It was the only place she could go now that she had moved out of Teresa's place.<br /> <br /> The four-person dorm was now empty. Tiffany's roommates had moved out after finding jobs during their final semester. Tiffany didn't stay there usually, but her belongings were still there.<br /> <br /> Before Tiffany had discovered the cheating incident, only Brianna had lived here. Since she was from out of town and had no internship, she had stayed in the dorm. <br /> <br /> On that fateful night, Tiffany had returned to the dorm after hearing there had been a power outage there. She had been worried that Brianna would be scared alone, so she had come back to stay with her.<br /> <br /> Yet, when she had pushed the door open, she had stumbled upon that scene…<br /> <br /> Brianna no longer lived in the dorm. Rumor had it that William had rented a place for her. <br /> <br /> Since Tiffany had joined Lewis Group, she had always been busy going to the office early and working late nights. Hence, running into William and Brianna in Teresa's apartment had shocked her. <br /> <br /> Unexpectedly, the place William had rented for Brianna was not only in Teresa's neighborhood but also in the same building.<br /> <br /> Tiffany didn't want to dwell on whether it was a coincidence or not anymore. She was convinced that moving out had been the right decision. After all, it would be uncomfortable if she kept running into them.<br /> <br /> As she finished making her bed, her phone rang. It was a call from Teresa.<br /> <br /> Her voice was choked up as she asked, "Tiff, what's going on? Why did you leave without telling me? Where are you? I'll come to get you now."<br /> <br /> Tiffany leaned against the bed frame. "Teri, I moved back to the dorm. After my internship, I can apply for employee housing—"<br /> <br /> "You have a place at home. Why would you live in an employee accommodation? Just wait there. I'm coming to get you—"<br /> <br /> "Teri!" Tiffany said firmly.<br /> <br /> Teresa fell silent. <br /> <br /> Swallowing her sadness, Tiffany looked up at the ceiling. She tried her best to sound casual. "Teri, I've grown up. I don't want to burden you anymore. I want to be someone you can depend on."<br /> <br /> Teresa sat on the chair in the foyer, clutching her phone as tears streamed down her face.<br /> <br /> Wiping her tears away, she said, "Tiff, I don't need to depend on you. I just need you by my side. No matter how old you become, you'll always be my little sister."<br /> <br /> "Teri, thank you. But this time, I want to be independent. Will you support me?" <br /> <br /> Teresa's voice choked up. "What if I don't want to? Will you come right back then?"<br /> <br /> "No, I won't." Tiffany smiled through silent tears. "Ever since I was a child, you've supported me, no matter what. You're the best sister in the world."<br /> <br /> Teresa remained silent for a while, trying hard to hold back her tears. Yet, Tiffany still heard her soft sobs.<br /> <br /> "When I earn more money, I'll buy you a big house! I'll open a shop for you too. Then, you and Eric won't have to work so hard anymore."<br /> <br /> Finally, Teresa laughed. "You silly girl. I don't want a big house or a shop. Eric and I are just ordinary people; we don't want much. <br /> <br /> "Tiff, just remember this. I don't want anything except for you to be well and happy. That's all I need."<br /> <br /> "Okay." Tiffany nodded firmly. "Teri, I'll make sure to live a good life!"<br /> <br /> After hanging up, Tiffany succumbed to the sadness and cried for a long time.<br /> <br /> Suddenly, she heard a few knocks on the door.<br /> <br /> Tiffany wiped her tears away and opened it. The bright sky outside had darkened. Vincent's handsome face appeared right in front of her. <br /> Chapter 5<br /> Tiffany woke up from her dream with a start.<br /> <br /> As she opened her eyes, she found herself lying in a hospital bed. The vision of Vincent had vanished.<br /> <br /> The elderly lady in the neighboring bed smiled and asked her, "Dear, did you have a nightmare? I saw you gripping the sheets tightly while you slept. What was the dream about?"<br /> <br /> As a child, Tiffany had heard that talking about a bad dream prevented it from coming true. So, she replied, "My boss."<br /> <br /> The elderly woman, Anna Keller, was surprised. She shook her head and sighed. "Your boss must be frightening."<br /> <br /> Just then, the door was pushed open from outside. A tall, slender figure entered.<br /> <br /> Tiffany had been about to use the bathroom. She had just slid one foot into her slippers, but when she saw who it was, she nearly fell off the bed.<br /> <br /> Vincent was dressed in a white shirt with the collar slightly open. His black trousers showed off his long legs. He was carrying a thermos in one hand, while his black suit jacket was draped over the other. He exuded an air of elegance.<br /> <br /> As Tiffany met his gaze, a wave of guilt washed over her. Without realizing it, she clenched her fingers into a fist.<br /> <br /> But Vincent walked right past her to Anna's bed. He bent down. "Grandma."<br /> <br /> Tiffany looked up. She was surprised to see Anna patting Vincent's head tenderly. <br /> <br /> Vincent, who was an imposing man in the office, was now acting like an obedient grandson in front of Anna. It turned out that he was her actual grandson.<br /> <br /> Tiffany looked on in surprise as Vincent opened the lid of the thermos and poured some soup to feed Anna. <br /> <br /> She had never expected that the usually stern CEO could be so gentle and caring. <br /> <br /> Anna waved her hand, saying, "I just had an apple, so I'm quite full." <br /> <br /> Turning to Tiffany, she continued, "Dear, you haven't eaten yet, have you? My grandson made some tomato soup. Would you like to try some?" <br /> <br /> Vincent looked over at her as well. Seeing that, Tiffany shook her head repeatedly. "No, no, thank you. I'm not hungry." <br /> <br /> But Anna insisted. "I haven't even touched it. You're not going to reject me, are you?" <br /> <br /> "Of course not." <br /> <br /> "That's good." Anna's mood changed rapidly as she pushed Vincent's shoulder. "Go on. The poor thing; it's been a while, and no one has come to see her. She even had a nightmare about her boss just now. She seemed so scared. I bet her boss is no good."<br /> <br /> Tiffany tried to stop Anna, but she couldn't get a word in. Anna had blurted out everything!<br /> <br /> Vincent raised an eyebrow at Tiffany. "Is that so? What's eating at you that you're so afraid of your boss?"<br /> <br /> Tiffany said nothing. There was no way she could explain it, no matter what she said.<br /> <br /> Vincent kept staring at her as if he could burn a hole through her face.<br /> <br /> "I... I need to go to the restroom. I'll be right back." With that, Tiffany fled into the restroom.<br /> <br /> Anna smacked Vincent's arm. "Look what you did! You scared her off!"<br /> <br /> Vincent chuckled helplessly. "Grandma, am I that scary?"<br /> <br /> Even though he might be strict at work, there was no reason for Tiffany to be that afraid of him. <br /> <br /> Anna scrutinized him seriously. "You don't look scary, but you always have a cold expression, which is rather intimidating. That young lady is timid, but she seems kind—not like those arrogant or pretentious women. I quite like her."<br /> <br /> "Okay, that's enough." Vincent cut her off before she could say more, feeling a headache coming. "She has a boyfriend, Grandma. Don't get any ideas."<br /> <br /> But Anna didn't believe him. "A boyfriend? How do you know?"<br /> <br /> "Because she's my employee."<br /> <br /> "Huh?"<br /> <br /> …<br /> <br /> When Tiffany came out of the restroom, Vincent was alone in the room. As she emerged, Vincent's gaze locked on her. <br /> <br /> Tiffany's steps stiffened as she awkwardly walked to her bed. <br /> <br /> She was still on the IV drip, with the IV lines taped on the back of one hand and the other holding the IV bag up.<br /> <br /> She stood on her tiptoes and tried to hang the bag up. However, she found it difficult and struggled because of her height and limited mobility.<br /> <br /> "Give it to me." A deep male voice came from beside her. <br /> <br /> Tiffany turned her head in a daze as a cool scent hit her nose. At the same time, Vincent took the IV bag from her and easily hung it up.<br /> <br /> "Thank you, Mr. Lewis," Tiffany said, keeping her head down. She didn't dare make eye contact with him.<br /> <br /> Once she settled back on the bed, Vincent brought over the thermos and set it on her bedside table. "This is for you."<br /> <br /> Tiffany looked up at him in surprise. When their eyes met, she quickly averted her gaze, her cheeks flushing red.<br /> <br /> Vincent found it amusing. He had seen many women before, but none as bashful as Tiffany. He found her rather entertaining, given how she turned beet red at the slightest thing. <br /> <br /> To avoid any misunderstandings, he added, "It's from my grandma."<br /> <br /> "Oh, I'll thank Mrs. Lewis Senior later then," Tiffany said.<br /> <br /> Vincent stood by the bed for a moment. "There's something else I want to ask you."<br /> <br /> "Go ahead," she replied.<br /> <br /> He pulled something out of his pocket and held it in front of her. "Have you seen this before?"<br /> <br /> Tiffany's eyes widened with shock. It was her pearl bracelet! How had it ended up with Vincent?<br /> <br /> Vincent observed her expression. "Have you seen it?"<br /> <br /> Tiffany snapped out of it and shook her head. "N-no. I'venever seen it before."<br /> <br /> A hint of disappointment flickered in Vincent's eyes. "Are you sure you've never seen it?"<br /> <br /> "Yes." Tiffany clenched her fists tightly. She feared they might break under the pressure of her anxiety. "I've never seen it."<br /> <br /> "Alright." Vincent pocketed the bracelet.<br /> <br /> Tiffany's heart was in turmoil. She couldn't believe she had dropped something so important in Vincent's tent! <br /> <br /> As a child, Tiffany had often been sick. Teresa had climbed 999 steps up a mountain trail to reach a church, all so that she could get this pearl bracelet blessed for health and give it to Tiffany.<br /> <br /> Tiffany had continued to wear it all these years. Yet, it was often hidden under her sleeves, so no one besides those closest to her knew about it.<br /> <br /> She kept to herself at work and didn't have any friends at the company, so no one there knew either. Hence, she didn't need to worry about Vincent finding out that it was hers.<br /> <br /> What concerned her was how she would get the bracelet back from him.<br /> <br /> …<br /> <br /> In the afternoon, Kelly sent Tiffany several messages asking how she was doing. <br /> <br /> Out of courtesy, Tiffany replied briefly. They weren't close, so the conversation should have ended after a few messages.<br /> <br /> However, Kelly sent another message. "Tiffany, has Mr. Lewis been to the hospital?"<br /> <br /> Since both of them worked in Lewis Group's executive department, Tiffany wasn't sure if Kelly might have something to say to Vincent. So, she replied honestly, "He came by at noon."<br /> <br /> The next moment, Kelly call her.	LEARN_MORE	https://enjoyae.com/wf_land_page/20942.html?langua	102579799309506	Webfic-love	https://facebook.com/100086745850436	8,434	2	472,537,985,406,858	2024-08-01 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	0	1	Learn more	Webfic-love	120212808234840036	enjoyae.com	NONE	video		https://enjoyae.com/wf_land_page/20942.html?language=en&timestamp=1722494646573&channelCode=WIENF1000282&bid=21000205660&utm_campaign={{campaign.name}}&utm_content={{campaign.id}}&ad_group_name={{adset.name}}&ad_group_id={{adset.id}}&ad_id={{ad.id}}&ad_name={{ad.name}}	2024-08-01 03:06	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/453478351_7473374769435059_5353721469581018737_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=105&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=-9TTSgTJJGQQ7kNvgEsMMpr&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&oh=00_AYDx4eZQ6RCir4UAFwgug8AM2pHEqHUGMolVLO3M8-uI4g&oe=66B1EDF5	person_profile	Webfic-love	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/453723488_908927037649658_720934971948761681_n.jpg?_nc_cat=109&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=Xez2EldoZekQ7kNvgHkM6UJ&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&oh=00_AYBe6eesQKI2Tu2DT8a1CwUidqzDxSXGBXv6meJSFIVGPw&oe=66B20AEB	3	Webfic-love	2024-08-01 02:00	View Edit Delete
1,952,428	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	No	2024-08-01 19:12	active	1201	1178427496676061	Bala Cynwyd, PA Apartments	Our pet-friendly Bala Cynwyd, PA apartments offer a selection of 1, 2 & 3-bedroom apartments & unmatched amenity spaces designed just for you. 🔑	LEARN_MORE	https://fb.com/canvas_doc/1938293973235168	109313615424796	The Kelly Bala Cynwyd	https://facebook.com/100090147026460	477	1	777,199,584,337,346	2024-08-01 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	0	1	Learn more	The Kelly Bala Cynwyd	120209489158550546	fb.com	NONE	image	Visit our website!	https://fb.com/canvas_doc/1938293973235168	2024-04-30 11:49	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/438170398_312796928517208_4004340079774207391_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=JRXX60HLUUAQ7kNvgGqqAwj&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&oh=00_AYBegW-iYwfv4M8ncl6_NT_KuYPNMI6rlwieB10GGpbymQ&oe=66B20402	person_profile	The Kelly	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/438164009_945144120394222_5865069187040150991_n.jpg?_nc_cat=108&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=jkrCJ5nzSIcQ7kNvgEAw83R&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&oh=00_AYDrCGDGWSmHa2k_072X_GtA5n4INeZVtFDx9j8lo9lnmw&oe=66B1F2E3	3	The Kelly Bala Cynwyd	2024-08-01 02:00	View Edit Delete
1,952,723	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	Yes	2024-08-01 19:12	active	1201	337613742755603	Read with Your Ears➤➤	"I, James Rodriguez, soon to be alpha of Eclipse Pack reject you, Nikolina Reed as my mate and Luna. “ <br /> The pain was blinding for Nikolina. Her next words took both of them by surprise. She was anything but weak and she knew she deserved a lot better than some douche bag who was disrespectful towards his own mate. Alpha or not, he shouldn't be the one who gets the last laugh.<br /> ***<br /> Nikolina POV<br /> 4 hours earlier<br /> I woke up in a very good mood. I am finally eighteen and today is the day I find my mate. It actually depends on both sides. If they are of age, they'll find each other soon enough, seventeen is the youngest you can be when you find your mate.<br /> However, most of the time, the guy or the girl have to wait for their other half to come of age, which I think is a great idea.<br /> Yes, I'm a werewolf, specifically the current Beta's daughter and soon to be Beta's sister. The disappointment of the family. But that's okay; I'm not very inclined to make them proud or follow in their footsteps, but mostly they want Alex to do it.<br /> Don't get me wrong. I'm not abused or bullied; except for the occasional remarks, shunned from society, the usual stuff.<br /> They say I'm ugly, but I know better than to believe that. I could have been popular due to my blue eyes and gold speckles, blonde hair and hourglass figure. But I like to keep to myself. Plus my hair was naturally blonde unlike my mother's peroxide bleached hair that comes out of bottles and pricey extensions. Actually, dad and Alex both have brown hair so I don't know how I have blonde hair. For months, I even checked the roots of my hair to find some sort of discoloration to prove that even my hair was bleached. But in vain.<br /> My mom was the stereotypical cheerleader in high school while my dad was the “douche” and quarterback. Apparently they want me to be like them, and social hierarchy exists in packs as well. And my brother is following our parents footsteps, sleeping with more than half of the population, while I'm not.<br /> They revel in attention and bullying people who are lower than them, as they say. To the outside world, my family and I love each other. On the inside it’s an extreme hate relationship, something the pack is aware of except for the Alpha and Luna.<br /> If they knew the truth, my parents, Tiffany and Mark, would lose their respect and beloved Alex's position would be taken away from him. Which would obviously take his popularity down a notch. Horrifying for him. Entertaining for me.<br /> Anyways, today is also the soon-to-be Alpha's eighteenth birthday. James Rodriguez.<br /> Sometimes I wonder how someone as sweet and kind as Diana and George, produce a kid like James.<br /> In short, James is the snobby player. It’s actually really surprising how none of the girls are pregnant yet...<br /> Back to me, I dressed up with more care than usual. I wore a baby pink sundress with black gladiator sandals. I applied a bit of winged liner to make my eyes pop. I've always read stories about loving mates. Who knows how much of it is true? For all I know, it’s some made up fantasy to make mates seem like the ultimate endgame. Maybe one day, I would meet my mate and then we could run away towards the sunset............or something, I don't really care.<br /> Apparently, all mates are compatible with their other half. It’s like love at first sight and the males getting all possessive about their mates is very appealing and a turn on, or so I've heard.<br /> It's all hearsay. And I think it’s stupid. It’s like the males are all custom made robots. Why else would their behavior be so alike?<br /> And there was a paragraph about heat and shifting and marking. Maybe, my mate's gonna go all caveman on me and tear my throat out.<br /> I'm just kidding, morbid thoughts on my birthday are kind of my thing. And its wishful thinking. I don't care. He might even be an omega and I still wouldn't care. Even if he's a human, it wouldn't matter. And if he's not in this pack then..... Oh well... It's better for me. I don't want to stay in a pack where I have no respect and people treat me bad. Status had once mattered to me. But when you have parents like mine, you kind of start praying not to ever be like them.<br /> Not once did they look at me but of course, Alexander was doted on by everyone. Kids. Parents. Friends. You name it.<br /> Apparently, it's because he's a boy. And according to my mother, girls are good for getting screwed, getting hit on, obeying their men, acting flirty along, and popping out heirs.<br /> And lucky for you all, my mother happens to be exhibit A.<br /> You should all be jealous because it's not everyday that you have a live walking, talking example to show the word and tell them what a hoe your mother is.<br /> Third Person POV <br /> Nikolina walked to school as she was not allowed a car. Though Alex was the proud owner of a shiny Silver Volvo. Double standards were very common in the Reed family. She had always wanted her own car, something that was a stunning shade of bright canary yellow, but that dream was nowhere close to becoming a reality.<br /> All of a sudden, she smelt an amazing scent; peppermint and honey. Lydia purred and rolled around in happiness, barely able to contain her excitement.<br /> On searching for the source, her eyes met warm, hazel orbs. His eyes expressed lust and adoration as they raked all over her body.<br /> Realization finally hit her hard when she saw that James-freaking-Rodriguez was her mate! The next Alpha of Solaris Eclipse Pack. And he was Portia's long-standing boyfriend.<br /> You know what he did next? James went back to groping the head cheerleader. “Portia.... “ Oh, sorry. Rookie mistake. Portia Scott.<br /> Tears threatened to fall while her wolf Lydia whimpered, seeing her mate touch another...<br /> “Our mate is beautiful.” James's wolf, Jace said. Nikolina was more than just beautiful. Many males of the pack thought she was gorgeous but never mentioned it out loud due to the fear of facing Alex's wrath. Alex was the one to start it all: the petty insults, the hateful words and making an outcast out of her. Others had just followed his footsteps. And of course, some of the girls were shallow enough to find happiness by making Nikolina feel miserable, because they were insecure about themselves.<br /> But the main issue was, though James thought Nikolina was pretty, he would never accept her as his mate and Luna. Though she was Beta Mark's daughter and was of high status, both him and his ego considered her a nobody. He knew about the insults and he had done it as well. In his eyes, she was worthless and all everyone ever did was talk down on her and she never fought back.<br /> He couldn't have a... thing like that as his mate. Beauty just wasn't enough for him, being a ruthless woman was a requirement.<br /> “She might be beautiful but I don't want her. She's a nobody. If people know that she is my mate, I would become the laughing stock of my pack. Seriously, people walk all over her. She can never be my Luna.” That was the thought going through his mind as he sucked on Portia's neck hard enough to bruise.<br /> “Ow! You're hurting me, boo! You know Kelly has my concealer today.” Portia whined but still made no move to shove James away. She just proceeded to grind her lower body into James and trying to get as close as humanly possible without getting rid of her clothes in public.<br /> James finally pried Portia off his body and walked towards his mate. In some ways, Portia was like a bloodsucking leech or an annoying wart, never leaving without a fight.<br /> “Baby, where are you going? I need you!” Her voice was like a cat dragging its claws across a board.<br /> James just signalled her to shut up before walking towards his mate. He would do the right thing, of course, as the future Alpha of Solaris Eclipse Pack and give Nikolina what she deserves.<br /> He stopped in front of her and asked, “What's your name?”<br /> “Nikolina,” she stated. He soon noticed that she had no friends and no car and he felt the curious stares on his back as everyone's attention was on him.<br /> “I, James Rodriguez, soon to be alpha of Eclipse Pack reject you, Nikolina Reed as my mate and Luna. “ As he rejected her, Jace whimpered and cowered. And James felt bad but he knew this was the right thing to do for himself and the pack. From his perspective, Nikolina was someone who brought out the worst in people and Portia was way more deserving to be his mate and Luna, considering that she was fearless and wasn't afraid to fight dirty for her rights.<br /> James was an egoistic douche bag who mistook petty behavior for fearless but he was blinded by the greed for power and popularity.<br /> The pain was blinding for Nikolina. She would have collapsed if not for the anger that surged through her. She was furious. At James. The Moon Goddess. Not realizing how painful rejection was. Her fate. It was a never ending list.<br /> It felt like she was being drowned in liquid bleach, her lungs burned and she saw red. Anger took over the pain she was feeling and she didn't want to give him the satisfaction of knowing how hurt she was.<br /> Her next words took both of them by surprise. She was anything but weak and she knew she deserved a lot better than some douche bag who was disrespectful towards his own mate. Alpha or not, he shouldn't be the one who gets the last laugh.<br /> “I, Nikolina Reed, accept your rejection as my mate and Alpha. I sincerely hope you get the clap!”<br /> With that, she turned on her heel and left the school premises.<br /> “Who needs a mate? Especially someone like James. People like him need girls like Portia by their sides, who cater to their whims and needs and whatever freaky carnal desire they might have.” Nikolina thought darkly. She wasn't going to give in to her pain and this rejection was the final push that encouraged her to chase after her freedom and break bonds with the family who had clipped off her wings.<br /> James felt a tiny bit of hurt realizing that she didn't even think twice before accepting the rejection and all he could wonder was how did she not burst into tears or grovel at his feet to take her back. Jace did not talk. He just whimpered, feeling the loss of his mate. Before James could think of it anymore, Portia dragged him to an empty classroom to distract her beloved Jamie boo. It seemed as if James wasn't the least bit affected by the incident with Nikolina, because his actions didn't falter as he hitched Portia's skirt up and ripped her panties, drilling her like an animal and releasing himself on her clothes and face as he left her alone to clean up.<br /> Nikolina POV<br /> “Well, he can go drill his toy as much as he wants.” I thought darkly while making my way towards home. All Lydia did was whimper. The moment I saw James, I knew something like this was bound to happen. You don't have any expectations when someone like him is supposed to be your destined mate. He was born with a big ego and he can just stuff it up his.<br /> “Maybe he regrets hurting us, you know.” Lydia whimpered.<br /> Before I could reply, searing hot pain flooded my senses. I felt myself fall on the pavement and the pain started to become more intense. It is obvious, isn't it? He's already drilling someone just minutes after rejecting me. It felt like my body was set on fire and the blistering flames charred my skin.<br /> I slowly got up and almost keeled over as my vision turned white. Dizziness washed over me. I had to clench my fists and dig my fingers hard enough to draw blood. Getting away from him and this stupid pack is my best bet. He was doing it intentionally considering the fact he knows that we're both connected unless one of us dies or gets marked by another. Walking never felt so strenuous and with every step I had to force myself to not curl up on the pavement and cry. I know I deserve someone better but I did want to cry my pain away.<br /> After what seemed like hours, the pain slowly ebbed away. Painful times ahead. The only problem is that the mate bond doesn't break even after being rejected. Only if the rejected is marked by the first mate or by another, or if one of the mates die, will the bond break.<br /> I entered my house and went to my room to pack my bags. You know, in every werewolf story the rejected mate writes letters before leaving. There's no logic to it. I mean, don't you get it? No one cares if you leave. No one cares if you die. No one cares if you slit your throat or get molested or murdered. That's the harsh truth. Why should I open my feelings on a letter make them feel pity? I can just run away and live my best life, away from them. It's not like they will send out search teams for you.<br /> I don't want pity. I can do better than that. I picked up my red lipstick and wrote in capitals before leaving. I know I'm dramatic but it serves them right. They'll remember this for years to come: women can walk away without feeling a twinge of guilt or regret.<br /> Showing vulnerability would only make me seem weak and I've let people walk over me way too many times.<br /> My mom was probably busy getting her hair done or something. That's the only thing she ever does. Or her nails. Or maybe she was out shopping with snobby people like herself. It's obvious that birds of a feather flock together. The only thing I ever liked about her is that she cooked for us, sometimes. Mom made a mean lasagna.<br /> Dad was probably with Alpha George. That's usually where he is. But then again, he also has this terrible habit of getting drunk during daylight hours. And once he even groped some other girl in front of the whole pack. Mom turned an ugly shade of red as she kicked him in the crotch. Those were the good days. It was fun when he laid on the couch with a bag of frozen peas on his groin and mom was nowhere around.<br /> Leaving was better for me anyway. Nothing was tying me down to this place. No friends. No proper family. I would be doing myself and them a favor.<br /> I took my dad's sleek black Porsche for my escapade. I might as well leave loaded and in style, besides it's high time I had a car.<br /> Just as I reached the pack border, I said, “I, Nikolina Reed, break all ties with the Solaris Eclipse Pack.” The patrol guards looked at me, but its not like they would stop me.<br /> The pack links broke and with that I revved up the engine and sped through the borders, driving towards my new life. A better life. It was a blessing that this pack did not care enough to stop me.<br /> <br /> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><br /> Keep the story going! Download our app and listen to the rest of the audiobook ID:99168.	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1,952,930	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	Yes	2024-08-01 19:12	active	1201	1655065908586112	Portable Continuous Flow Oxygen Concentrator - Boost Oxygen Concentration And Purify Air With Negative Ions	Whether for high-altitude travel or daily use, the portable oxygen concentrator provides pure oxygen to enhance your quality of life. Easy to operate and carry, breathe effortlessly in any environment.<br /> 🌍 Worldwide shipping is here! Order now! 👇👇	SHOP_NOW	https://tcarlet.com/products/portable-continuous-f	113120958543863	Sydney Brandon Kelly	https://facebook.com/61550221768327	0	1	3,359,960,304,308,472	2024-08-01 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	0	1	Shop now	Sydney Brandon Kelly	120210018071990785	tcarlet.com	NONE	video	4.9/5 Rating 99K+ Happy Customers 💞	https://tcarlet.com/products/portable-continuous-flow-oxygen-concentrator?utm_campaign=%7B%7Bcampaign.id%7D%7D&utm_adset=%7B%7Badset.id%7D%7D&utm_ad=%7B%7Bad.id%7D%7D	2024-08-01 08:13	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/453654478_370379222756229_149227210494224982_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=105&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=NsyCP7jaW9UQ7kNvgH-ULJO&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&oh=00_AYDGjvWVslEKq_7Z-kdz-AzLAR5VRqkAPCNwEc9agJXOkw&oe=66B1DA0B	person_profile	Sydney Brandon Kelly	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/453975751_883258677158338_682412125288277030_n.jpg?_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=-TKimyse-aQQ7kNvgHfDGmu&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&oh=00_AYBUpWztWWOhKqzm_N1NkPsTkajBkYfwN4EZEOLjXPc6qQ&oe=66B1FD30	3	Sydney Brandon Kelly	2024-08-01 02:00	View Edit Delete
1,952,769	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":1952763}'	No	2024-08-01 19:12	active	1201	868116875168839	🔥🔥 Click to Read 👉🏻👉🏻	My boyfriend Savage accused me of sleeping with his brother Venom and then marrying my best friend.<br /> But he didn't know I was pregnant at the time.<br /> Now I have a 17-year-old son that I love more than my own life. But Savage came back.<br /> "Piper, rumor has it that the VP Savage is back for his woman who he should never have left."<br /> "Who would that be?" I asked.<br /> "You, Piper."<br /> "Mom, what should we do?"<br /> I smiled, "Call Venom."<br /> This could very well mean a war between them.<br /> <br /> Chapter 1: Piper<br /> My name is Piper. I'm called a lot of names. I am a social worker that works with hard to place kids who are often in trouble with the law, and no one wants in their homes. I have worked with MC's who have members that are married but unable to have children and have chosen to become foster parents.<br /> I am one of three women who will work with the MC's. I have a 17—year—old son that I love more than my own life. He has never seen his father. In fact, his father denied him and accused me of sleeping with his brother.<br /> Venom who was 18 at the time. My best friend Kelly lied to Savage because she wanted him for herself. Venom helped me when Savage left me, and he has helped raise Zack. I hate men, I have a heart of stone now. I have no use for them. I especially hate that ex—friend of mine.<br /> I was on a home visit to a club member of the Red Devil MC when I was told that the Wild Wolf MC had moved back to town and that their club is just down the road from my cabin. Tammy the foster parent said, "Piper, rumor has it the VP, Savage is back for his woman, the woman he should never have left."<br /> "Who would that be I asked?"<br /> "You, Piper."<br /> "They are saying that word is out that you are off—limits. You belong to him."<br /> "Well Tammy, don't worry. That was 10 years ago when we were in school. He left me I didn't leave him remember."<br /> "He choose to marry Kelly and leave me and his son in the cold."<br /> "I know Piper and I'm sorry that happened. None of us could believe that he did that. That he believed that shameless girl and thought that you would cheat on him with his own brother."<br /> "I looked down and said, there is one more thing. His club is also taking over your favorite bar."<br /> "That is the only good bar to dance. That is not going to stop us from going out right" I asked smiling?<br /> "Nope, we are still going dancing."<br /> "Got to go to my next visit talk to you later." I said getting into my car and driving away. I had to pull over at a small park as the tears were flowing. He is back. I hate him.<br /> You still love him, and you know it my mind said. I wiped the tears away and hardened my heart. The whole town will know soon. We are not that big. I started my car and drove to my next visit.<br /> Again, I heard all about Savage. I listened but said nothing. Laurie said "have you heard the news?"<br /> "Your boyfriend is back in town."<br /> I kept a straight face and said "he is just that. An old boyfriend and I don't care. He needs to stay away from me."<br /> " I heard he divorced Kelly one month later and cut her off."<br /> " Not my problem" I said. Completed the visits and scheduled my next one before getting in my car. I need to fight. Then I remember I have a fight in a few days.<br /> I started my car and drove to the cabin. How am I going to tell Zack that is father's club moved back to town? As for telling everyone he was back in town to claim his woman, that is a laugh.<br /> I remember the day he accessed me of cheating with his brother. We were both in shock. But what hurt the most was when he took my ex—best friend as his wife.<br /> Then he threw in my face Kelly was having his child. My child was not his. He yelled in front of all our friends that his brother was the father of my child.<br /> Are friends were in shock. Beast his friend and president of the MC kept telling Savage he was making a big mistake.<br /> But savage refused to listen to him. I stopped going out, I withdrew and cried all the time. The only one who understood what I was going through was Tara.<br /> If it was not for her I would not be where I am today. It has been 10 years since I even saw or talked to any of them. I just got my life back together again.<br /> No they are back. I hate Savage and Kelly. I hater her family. Especially her sister. She backed Kelly's lie about seeing me and Savages brother togeather.<br /> I just need to stay away from them. Zack hates his father. We told him the truth of why is dad is not here, why is uncle is helping to raise him.<br /> My son is the most important thing to me. Zack and his friends keep me sane. But right now I feel like I am unraveling again. Like I want to grab Zack and run.<br /> But, I can't do that. I need to pull myself togeather, show no emotions but hate. Hate for Savage and Kelly. To keep that wall around me that keeps men out.<br /> Chapter 2: Savage<br /> I am back in the same town as my club that I left 10 years ago. I am the VP of the Wild Wolf MC. This is the town where all my problems started at a teenage boy. A boy who believed a lying b1tch over the girl I loved. The girl that had my son. The girl who is a woman now.<br /> I hate women and believe they are good for one things. Their bodies. I will never make them my Valkyrie, my old lady. Only one can have the position now. Since divorcing my lying ex—wife, Piper is the only woman who can tame me.<br /> Most of the women in my club know better than to approach me. And the men. They all knew now that we returned that if they ever hear the name Piper introduced to them or she is pointed out to them she is mine. She has always been mine and she is hands—off to them all.<br /> They also know that I have a son. What they don't know is that I left her. Of course, the rumors will spread, and I am sure they will hear everything. They also know that I have a brother one—year—old than myself, and we hate each other.<br /> I did call him when we arrived in town. He told me to stay away from Piper. I heard that he helped her after I left town and that he helped raise my son. He did what I was supposed to do but was not man enough to.<br /> My brother also told me in no certain terms I am not to approach him in public or any bar we both might be in. He called me a worthless and cheating dirtbag.<br /> There is going to be a war in town and not between biker clubs but my brother, myself, Kelly, Piper and Zack. I did forget to tell you that Kelly is a club shameless girl. She really lowered herself.<br /> Then he looked at me and said.<br /> "You are my VP but since you threw Piper away, I am going to try and catch her for myself."<br /> I growled at him, and he said "Savage, you through her away you can't get mad because I or any other man wants her for themselves."<br /> "You could have had the best but ended up with the bottom of the barrel."<br /> "We have been friends throughout high school. Every one of us wanted a chance with Piper but she had eyes only for you."<br /> "Now we all get the chance to try and catch her for ourselves and believe me when I say this. Whoever catches Piper this time we plan to drag her to the alter so fast your head will spin."<br /> "If it is me, I will claim her in front of the club and put a ring on her after the claiming. We will be married the following month. I am just giving you a fair warning."<br /> I had been warned by the president and my best friend. He wants Piper. He always has but he never tried to go for her after she and I started dating. Now that I threw her away, she was now open game.<br /> Anyone of the men could try to earn her trust and claim her for their own woman. I knew that Beast would have been the one she dated if I had not moved into this town and started at the high school.<br /> I also knew that he would be the one she would date if she wasn't dating anyone now. I was sitting drinking a beer when Beast said "let's go, Savage, we need to go to the store and get food and drinks in the club."<br /> "We also need to buy cleaning supplies."<br /> "Fine,"<br /> "oh and we are going to have to contact a cleaning company to come in and help get this place into shape. I have a list of what the cleaning crew will need. They will come in once a week and clean our bedrooms and occasionally cook for the clubhouse."<br /> "Fine let's head to Walmart."<br /> As I walked outside and got on my bike, I saw the van and two prospects waiting inside. We started our bikes and pulled out onto the road and headed to town.<br /> I hate shopping but I hoped to see Piper. But, I doubt that is going to happen. People that have talked to us say that Piper changed.<br /> She changed 10 years ago and not for the better. She does not date, and spends all her time with her son and his friends. She does go out sometimes, but not often.<br /> They say that Piper is a hard worker but can be rude if she is bothered. She spends time at my brothers MC and they all respect her.<br /> But, since I left and married Kelly she hates me and Kelly. I don't blame her, after I calmed down I hate Kelly. Gossip is that Piper would rather kill me as to look at me.<br /> I asked about my son. Several people tell me not to even go there. He does not ever want to see or meet me. He hates me as much as Piper does.<br /> He says my brother has been more of a father, which is the truth. I did throw my son away. For a lying girl.<br /> Chapter 3: Beast See's Piper<br /> I decided to stop at Wal—Mart before heading home. It was going to be a nice weekend and Zack and his buddies asked to have a cookout and fire this weekend. I bought the food he asked for along with other things that I needed. He stated that a few friends were putting tents up and I was ok with that.<br /> I was just grabbing paper plates and napkins the last of the items I needed when I saw the back of the cuts. Four men wearing Wild Wolf cuts. I threw the items into the card and turned to walk the opposite way when I saw a man leaning against the shelf.<br /> I slowly looked up and saw how he had an 8 pack, muscled arms, and a handsome face. He looked familiar.<br /> "Excuse me but you are in my way I said in a hard voice."<br /> " I don't think so, Piper."<br /> " Who are you I asked?"<br /> " Now is that any way to talk to the first boy who would have been your boyfriend if Savage had not moved to town."<br /> " Beast I don't care if it is you. I want nothing to do with any of you so get out of my way right now."<br /> "You have changed Piper. You are even more beautiful but you are one angry cold—hearted woman now."<br /> "Ya, and who's fault is that? Blame your no good cheating, lying VP. Now I would appreciate it if you would not talk to me again."<br /> I walked around him and continued to walk toward the front of the store to pay for my purchase and go home. Well dam, I thought. Savage did more damage to her then I thought. He really broke her heart. And she has built one wall around herself. I walked quickly up to the front and followed her outside to her car.<br /> "Look, Piper, I'm not Savage. I know he hurt you. I looked at him and growled yelling:"<br /> "I hate him so much. I can't stand the sight of him. I will never forget what he did to me. He doesn't remember as he moved on. So be it."<br /> "He is the reason I hate men. He is the reason I have a heart of stone. He is the reason I exist and don't live. I exist by working helping children who have no one."<br /> "I have a heart of stone but for children. I have no time for men and do not want to date. I have my son Zack who is 15 now. You do remember I was 15 years old when I had him."<br /> "I am now 25. Savage was 17 years old then. Did you forget what else did he do to me to make him hate him so much? He left me at the altar and married my best friend. and denied our child."<br /> "He spent a night with her once and she told him she was pregnant. Then she told him that I cheated on him with his brothe! She’s a liar!"<br /> "Now he is sorry. He lost three of the most important people. Me, his son, and his on relative his brother over her lies. He won't forgive him either."<br /> "I have all I need in my life now. I have my son, who I will kill for, I also have my wolf, and my cabin at the edge of the woods, my car and motorcycle."<br /> " Yes, I ride a bike in my free time. I also am the adopted sister of the president of the Freedom Riders and your clubs hated enemy."<br /> " And now he has given me another reason to hate him more. Your club has taken over my favorite bar. He just continues to build my hate for him and your club more and more."<br /> " What else can he do to make me hate him and your club Beast?"<br /> " Stay away from me and my son all of you. And tell that man if and when I chose to date it will never be a member of your club it will be a member of my brother's club."<br /> " To be precise, it will be my brother's VP Psycho. He has waited for me for 10 years now. And he said he will continue to wait. So screw you, Savage and your club, I then turned and got in my Kia Journey and started it backing out and driving out of the parking lot never looking back."<br /> I drove home not realizing the tears flowing down my face. As I pulled into the driveway my son ran out to meet me. He took one look at me running over and opening my door.<br /> "Mom, what is wrong?"<br /> " Your dad and his club moved back to town. I saw their president Beast at Walmart."<br /> I looked at Zack and he put his arms around me.<br /> " He might want to take you away from me."<br /> " Never, that man deserted us and denied that he was my father. Mom, I will never leave you for him. I know you might want to meet him someday."<br /> " I don't want to meet him. Uncle Venom raised me to me he is my father."<br /> " Oh, Zack it hurts. My heart hurts so much. How could he believe her lies? How could he not want us?"<br /> " I don't know mom but you will always have me. Come on let's go into the cabin and I will make you a cup of coffee."<br /> He had his arms wrapped around me as we walked into the cabin and past his friends. They looked at him with concern.<br /> I shook my head and nodded toward the door. They walked out waiting for me. I made mom her coffee and told her I would get the groceries. I walked out the door shutting it and looked at my friends with anger.<br /> "I told them what my mom said."<br /> "That dirtbag needs to stay from your mom. His club has caused enough problems. Now your mom's company has to clean their clubhouse once a week."<br /> Chapter 4: Arriving at The Wolf Rider MC<br /> I was shocked when Donna and Elizabeth told me who had contracted with us to clean their clubhouse once a week.<br /> "You can do this Piper."<br /> "Just remember your hate for him and the club and do what you do best, clean."<br /> "Alright,"<br /> I sighed. We walked into the clubhouse and Beast met us.<br /> "Piper, what are you doing here?"<br /> "One of my girls got sick so I am covering for her. I am part—owner of the company. I am here to clean nothing more. Now let us get started so we can get out of here."<br /> "Fine we will stay out of your way."<br /> I turned around as did the members of the club when they heard her name. She is even more beautiful than when she was 15 years old. She doesn't even look like she had a kid.<br /> The men looked at me and said. "That's your woman?" I nodded my head. She didn't look at any of us.<br /> Let's start upstairs and work our way down I heard her say. I watched as she walked up the stairs. The women were up there for about two hours before they started down here. They started in the kitchen and worked their way out to our bar.<br /> I watched her work, and she was very efficient. When they were finished, she looked at Beast and said.<br /> "They will be here every Friday if that is fine with you."<br /> " That's fine."<br /> "We have agreed on coming in for special events when given a two—week notice."<br /> "Great that will work out fine. See you next week "<br /> I said. "No, you won't. My girl should be back by then."<br /> I turned to walk away when he called my name. I turned and looked at him.<br /> "I want to see my son."<br /> I laughed, "son?"<br /> "You don't have a son, or did you forget?"<br /> "Besides, he doesn't want to see you." I then said. "Stay away from me." I turned and walked out of the door.<br /> "Sounds like your woman hates your guts Savage one of the members" said.<br /> "I guess she does and she has a right to."<br /> I sat back down drinking my beer. I looked over at Kelly sitting across the room with a smug smile on her face. I called one of the new prospects over, one that had scars on his face and Kelly continues to refuse to give him head. I said I'm about to give you a gift. He looked at me funny.<br /> "Kelly get over it. You want to put a smug look on your face."<br /> "Get down on your knees and give him head now."<br /> "No, I don't want to do him."<br /> "You will do what you are told now give him head."<br /> We all watched as she was forced to give the prospect head. When she was finished, I said," take her to a room and do her any way you want."<br /> "Anyway, I want?" he asked<br /> "Anyway, you want."<br /> I watched as the prospect pulled her out of the bar screaming.<br /> Every time I see that smug look on her face, I make her pay. Now she will pay every time my woman looks at me with hate in her eyes or I see her with another male.<br /> I make her do the men she refuses to do. She has begged me many times not to make her do them, but I don't care. Instead of marrying her I should have married Piper. Now I have nothing but Piper's hate.<br /> I don't even have my son. The son that lying girl said belonged to my brother. "Hey Savage,"<br /> "What."<br /> "We just saw you down the road working on a bike accept instead of blonde hair you had black."<br /> I looked up and said, "what did you say?"<br /> "We just saw a teenage boy who looks just like you, but he has black hair instead of blonde."<br /> Could it be my son? "Where?"<br /> "How far down the road?"<br /> "About 10 miles down the road going toward town."<br /> I thought about riding down that way but decided not to. He most likely was gone by now. I keep hearing every say they see a kid that looks like me.<br /> I have not seen him, but again I have not stepped foot out of the club that often since I have been back in town. I am sure that I will soon meet my son.<br /> But I also have a feeling the meeting will not be good. Everyone in this town knows what I had done and said. When we moved our club back to town I was given hateful looks.<br /> Then I would hear, "How is Piper going to handle me be and Kelly being back in town. And how is Pipers son going to deal with Savage's and Kelly's son or daughter?"<br /> "Other times I heard if Savage and Kelly have a son we can place bets that Pipers son and that boy will be going head to head and Pipers son will hate him just as much as he hates his father."	LEARN_MORE	https://a.icomicapp.com/ad/aUNvbWljcy8yNTk1MTMvMjA	106456512483946	ICo011	https://facebook.com/100093040820216	54	1	1,155,218,265,534,681	2024-08-01 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	0	1	Learn more	ICo011	120212559160660538	a.icomicapp.com	NONE	video		https://a.icomicapp.com/ad/aUNvbWljcy8yNTk1MTMvMjAyNDA4MDExNzM0NDAvcGFnZQ==?adid={{ad.id}}	2024-08-01 04:37	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/453492535_1002270944880792_4760265422631286948_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=107&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=kfo2XxGHFOAQ7kNvgGdcD6N&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&oh=00_AYAtWLixW3m5reNiiJPeNenPK7FSNYSc5NJ5hjb9u3Mhpw&oe=66B1FFFA	person_profile	ICo011	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/453788348_1018593783089386_5811835826399950065_n.jpg?_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=aZn7OQ8cEyEQ7kNvgHrgjFa&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&oh=00_AYA58IzYKpVmHYHf-pDVQ3WuKagChnXNqW47kCBXt3vxbQ&oe=66B20AC3	3	ICo011	2024-08-01 02:00	View Edit Delete
1,952,859	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":1952858}'	Yes	2024-08-01 19:12	active	1201	1672582993532792	Tragedy of son's death - John Travolta and Kelly Preston's 16-year-old son died of seizure complications. Here is our chilling list of stars who lost young children.	Tragedy of son's death - John Travolta and Kelly Preston's 16-year-old son died of seizure complications. Here is our chilling list of stars who lost young children.	NO_BUTTON	https://en.teaandbanter.com/view/?id=celebs-lost-c	112109921979340	Celeb chronicles	https://facebook.com/100095706065393	1,009	1	518,237,500,634,322	2024-08-01 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	0	1	No button	Celeb chronicles	120212104922710439	en.teaandbanter.com	NONE	image		https://en.teaandbanter.com/view/?id=celebs-lost-children-tab&src=facebook	2024-08-01 08:32	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/453746261_796032852733480_588057721357842259_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=111&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=t54FlWKF5-sQ7kNvgGUhwUB&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&oh=00_AYDCXUDRhA9WfExLMre8yRDfcUbjwHrppqiJANCnJNCB6A&oe=66B1E8BE	person_profile	Celeb chronicles	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/453769247_862509285329342_7032095884671437810_n.jpg?_nc_cat=110&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=_MvYGxHjhzUQ7kNvgFrSHJU&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&oh=00_AYBXtTwM8GyDGO1kDKNJfbWeau3poTVv-g_6aWlzJyfUpg&oe=66B1F624	3	Celeb chronicles	2024-08-01 02:00	View Edit Delete
1,952,180	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":1952181}'	Yes	2024-08-01 19:12	active	1201	3291568177645632	Protect Your Business, Partner with Us	Running a business comes with a multitude of legal obligations. At Norton Wasserman Jones & Kelly LLC, we provide comprehensive business law services to protect your company's best interests. Whether you're just starting or need assistance with contracts, compliance, or business disputes, our skilled attorneys are here to provide the legal guidance you need. Partner with us to safeguard your business's success.	LEARN_MORE	https://nwjklaw.com/business-law/?utm_source=Faceb	158980267469324	Norton, Wasserman, Jones & Kelly, LLC	https://facebook.com/nwjklaw	117	1	1,076,556,487,171,521	2024-08-01 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	0	1	Learn More	Norton, Wasserman, Jones & Kelly, LLC	120210365742760142	nwjklaw.com/business-law	NONE	dco	At Norton, Wasserman, Jones & Kelly, L.L.C., your needs always come first. We understand you’ve come to us for a reason, so we take that reason seriously.	https://nwjklaw.com/business-law/?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Next&utm_campaign=August+Ad	2024-07-08 13:27	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/450233248_891473803009663_7876180960391503654_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=101&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=wcgpw1anXvoQ7kNvgGVnMtd&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&oh=00_AYBsWv-DluoSJNH6g3SjtJD9_3iYSxJ9J17AjQsaMhioow&oe=66B1FE21	person_profile	Norton, Wasserman, Jones & Kel	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/449838405_1734375580429340_2929403585071789348_n.jpg?_nc_cat=103&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=5D2moBmJnVQQ7kNvgHVtQPv&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&oh=00_AYAKSJHzFKJ_vQoThS1SMRxk-CkrkfAl22wNrufJpeMjYg&oe=66B1FDE4	3	Norton, Wasserman, Jones & Kelly, LLC	2024-08-01 02:00	View Edit Delete
1,952,244	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":1952514}'	No	2024-08-01 19:12	active	1201	1006581604155494	🌄 Lehigh Valley's Value Leader	End your summer with Kelly's PERKS! Enjoy a 30-Day Exchange Program or 3-day Money Back Guarantee, Live Pricing, NO GAMES, and FREE State Inspection 🤩	SHOP_NOW	https://www.kellyjeep.com/	206191906087972	Kelly Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram	https://facebook.com/KellyChryslerDodgeJeepRam	1,155	1	1,929,730,824,192,282	2024-08-01 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	0	1	Shop now	Kelly Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram	120211439554150505	www.kellyjeep.com	NONE	video	🌄 Lehigh Valley's Value Leader	https://www.kellyjeep.com/	2024-07-29 10:44	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/453214429_1555810888697697_8496514161574075805_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=106&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=ELmE4PUgzn8Q7kNvgGxfB1Y&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&oh=00_AYAZScskrrPP00ZveYPYX7gGt17mtDrlKZ-izGqEga-q8w&oe=66B1E63B	person_profile	Kelly Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram☘️	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/453212631_1002119404824474_7148332527789426395_n.jpg?_nc_cat=103&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=wSCuLAn7k2wQ7kNvgF7SZc1&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&oh=00_AYDZTRV_Zj0UEqQoezMekIWkffESCDghz9eUxkBbAPYC_w&oe=66B1DEB6	3	Kelly Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram	2024-07-31 02:00	View Edit Delete
1,952,553	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":1952554}'	Yes	2024-08-01 19:12	active	1201	519399263854511			VIEW_INSTAGRAM_PROFILE	https://www.instagram.com/_u/ellsworthkellystudio	110594081943570	Ellsworth Kelly	https://facebook.com/ellsworthkellystudio	61	1	412,143,335,209,701	2024-08-01 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	0	1	Visit Instagram Profile	Ellsworth Kelly	120211191074060172	instagram.com	NONE	carousel		https://www.instagram.com/_u/ellsworthkellystudio	2024-07-29 12:10	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/453238991_1788866651890828_934655210379817613_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=108&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=FZvjeQz0DQIQ7kNvgHdOvLs&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&oh=00_AYCr_aF1lRu65_YL3GiP4b4DbE_Flt1RIpKUqbcCmGRXEg&oe=66B1F78E	person_profile	Ellsworth Kelly	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/453238871_1014918380340688_278429349945980780_n.jpg?_nc_cat=106&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=IBZT1XppGpoQ7kNvgEdUyuI&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&oh=00_AYCjPesBeyrsS9yVgOZ1zOVKfEu-bVAs5YxChibUPwfviA&oe=66B1FA06	3	Ellsworth Kelly	2024-08-01 02:00	View Edit Delete
1,952,698	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":1952702}'	Yes	2024-08-01 19:12	active	1201	1238195867555102		Girls just wanna have Sun ☀️🥰			110009458504640	Kelly Wolfe	https://facebook.com/kelly.flanagan.54	175	1	505,746,742,125,986	2024-08-01 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	0	1		Kelly Wolfe	6577295652590		NONE	multi_images			2024-08-01 16:31	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/453315836_867985425216448_2438734700389773435_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=105&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=uSZxIl-ZWo8Q7kNvgFeExGw&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&oh=00_AYA_Mz17o0w3ealT9jDf04YFvykRJCC4E7AGb_fVz4eOvg&oe=66B1E70C	person_profile			3	Kelly Wolfe	2024-08-01 02:00	View Edit Delete
1,952,731	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":1952755}'	Yes	2024-08-01 19:12	active	1201	455910800747444	🔥🔥 Click to Read 👉🏻👉🏻	"I told you baby, I'm divorcing her. I already have the papers drawn up..."<br /> I'm standing there and can't move, clutching the pregnancy test in my hands...<br /> I can't let him know that I know his plans...I need to get out of here.<br /> [A wife always knows. Sign them. Byebye.]<br /> I rub my flat belly. He can afford to wait, but my belly can't.<br /> <br /> ————————<br /> <br /> Im sitting here in shock as i sit here and look at 2 lines happiness and fear is going through me, happiness because im finally pregnant after 4 years of being married to richard and then the fear because he has never mentioned having kids with me and then there is the plan b he makes sure i take after we sleeping.<br /> I worked up enough courage to tell him and show him the pregnancy test and as im about to knock on his home office door i hear him talking in a hush tone. I told you baby im divorcing her I already have the papers drawn up in my desk you just have to give me time to break it to her and how to break it to her, yes baby our dinner plans are still on for tonight ill meet you there, i love you too and ill see you in a little bit.<br /> Im standing there and can't move clutching the pregnancy test in my hands with tears rolling down cheeks and i forced myself to move out of the front of his office door and walk to our bedroom hid the pregnancy test and jump into the shower to hide my tears. I guess I can put the blame on myself i knew who his childhood love is and i hoped that he would fall in love with me and forget about her but it doesn't look like the case and how dumb i feel.<br /> Im standing there under the water letting it hit my face and going over a plan in my head I've already made up my mind while he is gone ill pack up my stuff and sign the divorce papers in his home office then im gone. I was lost in my thoughts and didn't hear Richard get in the shower with me until i felt his arms wrap around me and pull me back into him.<br /> Showering without me are you? I felt so sick by his touch but I can't let him know that I know his plans and I need to get out of here. I went by your office and seen your door shut so I figured you was busy with work and didn't want to bother you, im never to busy for you darling. He turns me around so i will face him his hand is softly stroking my face while he stares at my face like he is taking a mental picture, he smiles then says you know i love you don't you? <br /> I mentally roll my eyes back into my head then smiled and said yes i know and do you know that i love you back? His smile reached his ears yes i do then he stars bussing me ever so passionly and it felt like to me that this will our last time.<br /> He throws me up against the shower wall and hikes one of my legs up to his side, lets make out in the shower its been awhile sense we have done this he said while nibbling on my neck, it has been awhile i said smiling while he slips inside of me. love this round was different we both knew it would be our last time together like this and he is taking his time like he is making a mental video at this moment. He has me pushed up against the wall and my legs are wrapped around his waste, richard im about to, i know darling i am too. <br /> <br /> He sits me down and makes me lean forward and put my hands against the wall then he pounds into me, the bathroom is filled with my moans and his grunts baby do you know how bad your tight little cherry drives me crazy when your getting off? Yes i do and i love that it drives you crazy, he starts stroking harder and faster and i know his release is coming, after he released himself inside of me he grabs me and pulls me close to him while leaving himself inside of me he has never did this before.<br /> He hurried and finished showering and i stay behind to finish up my shower, i came out and looked surprised when i seen him in his suit, going back to the office? Yea i have to finish up some work so ill be late don't wait up for me, you know its hard for me to sleep without you so hurry back as fast as you can and i gave him a warm smile, he walks over to me takes his thumb under my chin to make me look at him then he busses me ever so gently he takes the towel off of me and his hand goes straight to my belly i start to panic does he know? He pulls away and takes a couple steps back and just stares at me if i wouldn't have pulled away we would have went for round 2, so i say giving him a flirty smile after all we are husband and wife, he walks up to me softly stroking my face if i didn't have to be at the office we would definitely go for another round he busses me one more time then looks me in my eyes and says don't forget your plan b pill and don't wait up, i nodd and smile at him and walk over to my night then i hear the bedroom door shut.<br /> I sit on the bed listening to his footsteps fade away, wow he must be in a hurry to get to her because normally he would watch me just to make sure i took it, i walk across the hall and look out the window he is standing there typing on his phone then he slides into the back seat while the driver shuts the door. I grab my iphone log in with his information and read every iMessage between them my heart felt like it was stabbed over and over again he is talking about having kids with her something he has never with me i rub my flat belly don't worry little one mommy will make sure you have the best life i can give you we won't need him.<br /> I walk back to the room pack my things walk to his office to look for the divorce papers, i found them and read through them if i don't give him any trouble i get 50 thousand dollars and his name is already signed so i signed my name and faxed the papers to his lawyer. I laid the divorce papers on top of his desk and added a sticky note on top. A wife always knows and ive already faxed the papers to your lawyer after i signed them take care richard love tessa. I reset my iphone back to factory mode sign in on under his accounts and left the screen on his imessages with laura so that way when he picks it up that will be the first thing he will see and he can't track me if i don't have this phone if he wanted too.<br /> I remember to grab the pregnancy test and the box so i don't leave any evidence behind about my little one he didn't want one anyway at least not with me. I was able to sneak out without the maid seeing me walked down the road a little ways where the cab was waiting for me. I told the cab driver the address and sat back watching out the window I fought hard to keep my tears from falling down my cheeks he doesn't want me then i won't shed no tears for him. I had the cab drop me off at a little hotel where they would let me pay with cash and didn't ask for ID i can hide out here until that money goes into my banking account then i can get it all out and close my account down.<br /> <br /> Richards POV<br /> im stuck with a big dilemma between 2 women that i love except for one knows about the other when the other one don't, laura wants me to divorce tessa and that was the plan until i started having doubts, yes i may have already had the divorce papers drawn up and signed my name but that doesn't mean it's killing me on the inside. The shower love we had earlier was amazing heck every time we sleep its always amazing with tessa who ever thought a shy and quite girl like tessa would be so kinky? She is my type of women in the bed.<br /> I had to get one last look of her undressed body and one last taste of her before i break her heart tomorrow ive made up my mind ive missed laura like crazy while she was away with her dad for 5 years and was over joyed when she let me know that she is moving back I couldn't wait to see her. As twisted as this may sound I haven't touched laura sure we have bussed but out of respect for tessa thats all that has happened between laura and me.<br /> I called it a night with laura actually I couldn't wait to get back home to cuddle into tessa she thinks she is the only one that can't sleep without me but I can't sleep without her warm body pressed into mine it's going to be hard to sleep for awhile without her, am I really about to do this?<br /> I walk into the bedroom and see that the light is on but tessa isnt in the bed or in the room then i noticed that our wedding picture is missing from her night stand so i walk over to the bed and noticed a ripped up picture laying on the bed and its just me her side of the picture is gone, did she find out about laura? I walk to find the maid, have you seen tessa? She was in your office a little while ago faxing something sir, i nodd and ran straight to my office, is everything alright sir? Help me find tessa she isn't in the bedroom or in my office, i see her phone laying on my desk and i open it up and my heart sank when it was the messages between me and laura how did she find out how to do this?<br /> I sit back in my seat with her phone gripped tightly in my hands feeling numb all over when I noticed a sticky note that I don't remember leaving there and when i read it I didn't think it was even possible for my heart to sink any further until i read that she signed them and already faxed them my heart shattered. All I could do was imagine what she went through and is going through right now, where she went to? Is she safe? How could i have been so dumb? Why didn't she even put up a fight or even beg me?<br /> Im pacing back and forth at the foot of our bed imagining her laying in her spot looking so comfortable and sound asleep with me cuddle in behind her. i still see her undressed and standing there went i look in that direction, i still can see how the bottom of her belly was poking out a little and i started to imagine what she would look like with my baby in her and when my hand automatically went there it scared her, i know she isn't pregnant her periods came on time and she takes plan b after we sleep.<br /> I wasn't able to sleep last night so I went back to my home office before the sun came out thats when I noticed her wedding rings was laying there and i felt something I haven't felt in a long time running down my cheeks, it has been awhile sense i have cried I've actually been pretty happy with everything until now, i slid her wedding rings onto my pinky and just stared at them while tears are flowing down my face.<br /> I cant put out a missing persons report because our marriage was a secret I didn't want her to be noticed and live a happy and normal life without anyone knowing who she is. Ah ha she will probably be going to the bank soon to take out the money and ill tell them to notify me when she does, seeing how the bank is ran by my company they can't go against my orders.<br /> Laura has already called me this morning asking if i asked about a divorce yet i told her no because I didn't want to go straight into planning another wedding i still needed to find tessa I didn't want her to hurt.<br /> <br /> Tessa POV<br /> i haven't been able to hardly sleep at all, I wasn't lying to Richard when i told him I couldn't sleep without him but im getting used to it, its been 2 weeks sense i ran away and im about to run out of money so its time to empty my banking account and get the heck out of here so i can live freely and not only that i need to get my little one checked on and get the proper care that i need.<br /> My childhood friend is coming tonight and she is helping me escape tomorrow and we have a plan set up just incase he shows up I doubt he will sense this is what he wanted but its always good to plan ahead. Someone is knocking on my motel door and i know it isn't kelly because she will call my motel room when she gets here, i peek through the peephole and i see Richards assistant and Richard standing behind him with his arms folded across his chest and he doesn't look like she has slept good in ages, my heart drops to my feet has he found me? <br /> <br /> I almost opened the door when they stop someone walking by, excuse me sir have you seen this girl? He looks at the picture nope I can't say i have sorry, take this flyer and if you spot her give us a call and if you give us the right location and we locate her well will give you a great reward.<br /> Why is he looking for me? Is he having regrets? Does he know about the little one? Ive come to far im not turning myself in he probably wants me to get rid of little one if he knows it's coming and I won't take that chance no way. Kelly pulls in and they walk up to her car show her the flyer and i can tell she is trying so hard not to show it on her face, i see her shake her head no I can't hear what they are saying because they are so far away. They get into their vehicle and leave, i see her walking to my door and i hurry up and open it while hiding behind it.<br /> Girl do you know richard was just outside showing a picture of you trying to find you? Yes they knocked on my door but I didn't answer it, what is he wanting? I don't know i gave him what he wanted and he shouldn't know about little one we are the only ones that knows and i made sure to take the box and test with me, its a good thing you are getting out of here tomorrow that was way to close, yes it was I thought for sure he found me and came a hair of opening the door, don't you ever do something that dumb again, o im not promise.<br /> The next day kelly has me so made up that I don't recognize myself in the mirror, i have brown hair and she has me in a blonde wig a outfit that shows way to much of my body and my cleavage, i was just thankful I have a decent pair of flats i can run in if i have too. I put on a pair of over sized sunglasses and get on the bus and head to the bank, i walk into the bank go into the restroom and remove my wig stuff it in my big purse i fix my hair up into a messy bun and head to the tailors window. <br /> <br /> I show her my ID and my banking information i want everything out of my checking account and close my account, the tailor looks at me and smiles then whisperes i know who you are and im supposed to alert mr roads when you arrive to claim the money, please don't I just want to get my money and be on my way, don't worry i won't alert him until i see you walk out the door I can't stand laura she is making brags that she can't marry mr roads because you ran away before he could get you to sign the divorce papers, she hands me the money and i say i have signed the divorce papers and faxed the papers myself to his lawyer he is divorced and im not holding anyone up, <br /> <br /> I figured as much why else would he put 50 thousand into your checking account laura is just making up stories to make herself look good, ill be the run away wife I really don't care he is a free man what he does on his end is up to him, you better get going then before someone spots you, thank you so much she looks at me and gives me warming smile then winks.<br /> <br /> I step outside of the bank and take a last look around i plan not to step back into this city for years, i take one more big breath to calm my nerves down put on my sunglasses i start to take a step then i hear what sounded like someone slamming on their breaks, <br /> <br /> i thought someone was about to get ran over and i take a look to see what was going on when i noticed who's car it was i froze in my spot. Come on tessa get yourself together think of little one, i see a door open and richard gets out hollering my name, wait tessa i need to talk to you i shake my head no and turn around to take my steps away, tess please wait for me we need to talk, i turn to look at him and he is trying to dodge vehicles to get across the road to me and i spot my opportunity and took off running away from him and at this point instead of hollering my name he is screaming it.	LEARN_MORE	https://b.ficsworld.com/ad/Zmljd29ybGQvMjU4NDUxLzI	139299595929929	World002	https://facebook.com/61551823504143	88	1	1,899,033,943,945,682	2024-08-01 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	0	1	Learn more	World002	120210534397920061	b.ficsworld.com	NONE	video		https://b.ficsworld.com/ad/Zmljd29ybGQvMjU4NDUxLzIwMjQwNzMxMTY0MjQ4L3BhZ2U=?adid={{ad.id}}	2024-07-31 03:50	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/453244097_521649220201100_3694222578913582739_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=110&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=HVbSvcEVmUcQ7kNvgHYXNO2&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&oh=00_AYAc3pES3ZhEq1Cx0_-4a4IkIv1beZ8Fvcz2RCej9gVctQ&oe=66B1E90E	person_profile	World002	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/453222174_472552745660873_691585186305530985_n.jpg?_nc_cat=111&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=NqRuen_R7ioQ7kNvgG9Z8Rk&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&oh=00_AYCin9qDc8qvj9zHoGCrh8e0Ydq928uG9YaNwlN8zuw6JA&oe=66B1F3F5	3	World002	2024-08-01 02:00	View Edit Delete
1,952,744	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	Yes	2024-08-01 19:12	active	1201	480915154656064	🔥🎬The Unwanted billionaire Heiress❗️👇	🔥🎬The Unwanted billionaire Heiress❗️👇	WATCH_MORE	https://xsrrq.i299sdgktl.com/fb02.html?shorttv_adi	126997507157767	SHORT TV	https://facebook.com/61551042265812	430,878	3	1,035,976,178,022,551	2024-08-01 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	1	1	Watch more	SHORT TV	120212071374000222	xsrrq.i299sdgktl.com	NONE	video		https://xsrrq.i299sdgktl.com/fb02.html?shorttv_adid=31368&language=en&timestamp=1722416253220&utm_source=facebook&campaign_id={{campaign.id}}&campaign_name={{campaign.name}}&adset_id={{adset.id}}&ad_id={{ad.id}}&ad_name={{ad.name}}	2024-08-01 02:54	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/453593094_1046223226868943_8426350229221098247_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=106&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=ZIJFPFThkGQQ7kNvgGXEdyC&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&oh=00_AYChdgH2AV7FwYBsiivRNN2OLbXqZejpP0Jy8lg4_FCO3g&oe=66B1F9E0	person_profile	SHORT TV	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/453407239_1005133930921531_4162250589155269565_n.jpg?_nc_cat=105&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=cd8jWGgjGHUQ7kNvgEC78g9&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&oh=00_AYAaHEd0Q6JSaoL0Z9w6Ec1V0RXLiiagTO7B39V8_NttbA&oe=66B1F810	3	SHORT TV	2024-08-01 02:00	View Edit Delete
1,952,742	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":1952755}'	No	2024-08-01 19:12	active	1201	477011178279562	🔥🔥 Click to Read 👉🏻👉🏻	"I told you baby, I'm divorcing her. I already have the papers drawn up..."<br /> I'm standing there and can't move, clutching the pregnancy test in my hands...<br /> I can't let him know that I know his plans...I need to get out of here.<br /> [A wife always knows. Sign them. Byebye.]<br /> I rub my flat belly. He can afford to wait, but my belly can't.<br /> <br /> ————————<br /> <br /> Im sitting here in shock as i sit here and look at 2 lines happiness and fear is going through me, happiness because im finally pregnant after 4 years of being married to richard and then the fear because he has never mentioned having kids with me and then there is the plan b he makes sure i take after we sleeping.<br /> I worked up enough courage to tell him and show him the pregnancy test and as im about to knock on his home office door i hear him talking in a hush tone. I told you baby im divorcing her I already have the papers drawn up in my desk you just have to give me time to break it to her and how to break it to her, yes baby our dinner plans are still on for tonight ill meet you there, i love you too and ill see you in a little bit.<br /> Im standing there and can't move clutching the pregnancy test in my hands with tears rolling down cheeks and i forced myself to move out of the front of his office door and walk to our bedroom hid the pregnancy test and jump into the shower to hide my tears. I guess I can put the blame on myself i knew who his childhood love is and i hoped that he would fall in love with me and forget about her but it doesn't look like the case and how dumb i feel.<br /> Im standing there under the water letting it hit my face and going over a plan in my head I've already made up my mind while he is gone ill pack up my stuff and sign the divorce papers in his home office then im gone. I was lost in my thoughts and didn't hear Richard get in the shower with me until i felt his arms wrap around me and pull me back into him.<br /> Showering without me are you? I felt so sick by his touch but I can't let him know that I know his plans and I need to get out of here. I went by your office and seen your door shut so I figured you was busy with work and didn't want to bother you, im never to busy for you darling. He turns me around so i will face him his hand is softly stroking my face while he stares at my face like he is taking a mental picture, he smiles then says you know i love you don't you? <br /> I mentally roll my eyes back into my head then smiled and said yes i know and do you know that i love you back? His smile reached his ears yes i do then he stars bussing me ever so passionly and it felt like to me that this will our last time.<br /> He throws me up against the shower wall and hikes one of my legs up to his side, lets make out in the shower its been awhile sense we have done this he said while nibbling on my neck, it has been awhile i said smiling while he slips inside of me. love this round was different we both knew it would be our last time together like this and he is taking his time like he is making a mental video at this moment. He has me pushed up against the wall and my legs are wrapped around his waste, richard im about to, i know darling i am too. <br /> <br /> He sits me down and makes me lean forward and put my hands against the wall then he pounds into me, the bathroom is filled with my moans and his grunts baby do you know how bad your tight little cherry drives me crazy when your getting off? Yes i do and i love that it drives you crazy, he starts stroking harder and faster and i know his release is coming, after he released himself inside of me he grabs me and pulls me close to him while leaving himself inside of me he has never did this before.<br /> He hurried and finished showering and i stay behind to finish up my shower, i came out and looked surprised when i seen him in his suit, going back to the office? Yea i have to finish up some work so ill be late don't wait up for me, you know its hard for me to sleep without you so hurry back as fast as you can and i gave him a warm smile, he walks over to me takes his thumb under my chin to make me look at him then he busses me ever so gently he takes the towel off of me and his hand goes straight to my belly i start to panic does he know? He pulls away and takes a couple steps back and just stares at me if i wouldn't have pulled away we would have went for round 2, so i say giving him a flirty smile after all we are husband and wife, he walks up to me softly stroking my face if i didn't have to be at the office we would definitely go for another round he busses me one more time then looks me in my eyes and says don't forget your plan b pill and don't wait up, i nodd and smile at him and walk over to my night then i hear the bedroom door shut.<br /> I sit on the bed listening to his footsteps fade away, wow he must be in a hurry to get to her because normally he would watch me just to make sure i took it, i walk across the hall and look out the window he is standing there typing on his phone then he slides into the back seat while the driver shuts the door. I grab my iphone log in with his information and read every iMessage between them my heart felt like it was stabbed over and over again he is talking about having kids with her something he has never with me i rub my flat belly don't worry little one mommy will make sure you have the best life i can give you we won't need him.<br /> I walk back to the room pack my things walk to his office to look for the divorce papers, i found them and read through them if i don't give him any trouble i get 50 thousand dollars and his name is already signed so i signed my name and faxed the papers to his lawyer. I laid the divorce papers on top of his desk and added a sticky note on top. A wife always knows and ive already faxed the papers to your lawyer after i signed them take care richard love tessa. I reset my iphone back to factory mode sign in on under his accounts and left the screen on his imessages with laura so that way when he picks it up that will be the first thing he will see and he can't track me if i don't have this phone if he wanted too.<br /> I remember to grab the pregnancy test and the box so i don't leave any evidence behind about my little one he didn't want one anyway at least not with me. I was able to sneak out without the maid seeing me walked down the road a little ways where the cab was waiting for me. I told the cab driver the address and sat back watching out the window I fought hard to keep my tears from falling down my cheeks he doesn't want me then i won't shed no tears for him. I had the cab drop me off at a little hotel where they would let me pay with cash and didn't ask for ID i can hide out here until that money goes into my banking account then i can get it all out and close my account down.<br /> <br /> Richards POV<br /> im stuck with a big dilemma between 2 women that i love except for one knows about the other when the other one don't, laura wants me to divorce tessa and that was the plan until i started having doubts, yes i may have already had the divorce papers drawn up and signed my name but that doesn't mean it's killing me on the inside. The shower love we had earlier was amazing heck every time we sleep its always amazing with tessa who ever thought a shy and quite girl like tessa would be so kinky? She is my type of women in the bed.<br /> I had to get one last look of her undressed body and one last taste of her before i break her heart tomorrow ive made up my mind ive missed laura like crazy while she was away with her dad for 5 years and was over joyed when she let me know that she is moving back I couldn't wait to see her. As twisted as this may sound I haven't touched laura sure we have bussed but out of respect for tessa thats all that has happened between laura and me.<br /> I called it a night with laura actually I couldn't wait to get back home to cuddle into tessa she thinks she is the only one that can't sleep without me but I can't sleep without her warm body pressed into mine it's going to be hard to sleep for awhile without her, am I really about to do this?<br /> I walk into the bedroom and see that the light is on but tessa isnt in the bed or in the room then i noticed that our wedding picture is missing from her night stand so i walk over to the bed and noticed a ripped up picture laying on the bed and its just me her side of the picture is gone, did she find out about laura? I walk to find the maid, have you seen tessa? She was in your office a little while ago faxing something sir, i nodd and ran straight to my office, is everything alright sir? Help me find tessa she isn't in the bedroom or in my office, i see her phone laying on my desk and i open it up and my heart sank when it was the messages between me and laura how did she find out how to do this?<br /> I sit back in my seat with her phone gripped tightly in my hands feeling numb all over when I noticed a sticky note that I don't remember leaving there and when i read it I didn't think it was even possible for my heart to sink any further until i read that she signed them and already faxed them my heart shattered. All I could do was imagine what she went through and is going through right now, where she went to? Is she safe? How could i have been so dumb? Why didn't she even put up a fight or even beg me?<br /> Im pacing back and forth at the foot of our bed imagining her laying in her spot looking so comfortable and sound asleep with me cuddle in behind her. i still see her undressed and standing there went i look in that direction, i still can see how the bottom of her belly was poking out a little and i started to imagine what she would look like with my baby in her and when my hand automatically went there it scared her, i know she isn't pregnant her periods came on time and she takes plan b after we sleep.<br /> I wasn't able to sleep last night so I went back to my home office before the sun came out thats when I noticed her wedding rings was laying there and i felt something I haven't felt in a long time running down my cheeks, it has been awhile sense i have cried I've actually been pretty happy with everything until now, i slid her wedding rings onto my pinky and just stared at them while tears are flowing down my face.<br /> I cant put out a missing persons report because our marriage was a secret I didn't want her to be noticed and live a happy and normal life without anyone knowing who she is. Ah ha she will probably be going to the bank soon to take out the money and ill tell them to notify me when she does, seeing how the bank is ran by my company they can't go against my orders.<br /> Laura has already called me this morning asking if i asked about a divorce yet i told her no because I didn't want to go straight into planning another wedding i still needed to find tessa I didn't want her to hurt.<br /> <br /> Tessa POV<br /> i haven't been able to hardly sleep at all, I wasn't lying to Richard when i told him I couldn't sleep without him but im getting used to it, its been 2 weeks sense i ran away and im about to run out of money so its time to empty my banking account and get the heck out of here so i can live freely and not only that i need to get my little one checked on and get the proper care that i need.<br /> My childhood friend is coming tonight and she is helping me escape tomorrow and we have a plan set up just incase he shows up I doubt he will sense this is what he wanted but its always good to plan ahead. Someone is knocking on my motel door and i know it isn't kelly because she will call my motel room when she gets here, i peek through the peephole and i see Richards assistant and Richard standing behind him with his arms folded across his chest and he doesn't look like she has slept good in ages, my heart drops to my feet has he found me? <br /> <br /> I almost opened the door when they stop someone walking by, excuse me sir have you seen this girl? He looks at the picture nope I can't say i have sorry, take this flyer and if you spot her give us a call and if you give us the right location and we locate her well will give you a great reward.<br /> Why is he looking for me? Is he having regrets? Does he know about the little one? Ive come to far im not turning myself in he probably wants me to get rid of little one if he knows it's coming and I won't take that chance no way. Kelly pulls in and they walk up to her car show her the flyer and i can tell she is trying so hard not to show it on her face, i see her shake her head no I can't hear what they are saying because they are so far away. They get into their vehicle and leave, i see her walking to my door and i hurry up and open it while hiding behind it.<br /> Girl do you know richard was just outside showing a picture of you trying to find you? Yes they knocked on my door but I didn't answer it, what is he wanting? I don't know i gave him what he wanted and he shouldn't know about little one we are the only ones that knows and i made sure to take the box and test with me, its a good thing you are getting out of here tomorrow that was way to close, yes it was I thought for sure he found me and came a hair of opening the door, don't you ever do something that dumb again, o im not promise.<br /> The next day kelly has me so made up that I don't recognize myself in the mirror, i have brown hair and she has me in a blonde wig a outfit that shows way to much of my body and my cleavage, i was just thankful I have a decent pair of flats i can run in if i have too. I put on a pair of over sized sunglasses and get on the bus and head to the bank, i walk into the bank go into the restroom and remove my wig stuff it in my big purse i fix my hair up into a messy bun and head to the tailors window. <br /> <br /> I show her my ID and my banking information i want everything out of my checking account and close my account, the tailor looks at me and smiles then whisperes i know who you are and im supposed to alert mr roads when you arrive to claim the money, please don't I just want to get my money and be on my way, don't worry i won't alert him until i see you walk out the door I can't stand laura she is making brags that she can't marry mr roads because you ran away before he could get you to sign the divorce papers, she hands me the money and i say i have signed the divorce papers and faxed the papers myself to his lawyer he is divorced and im not holding anyone up, <br /> <br /> I figured as much why else would he put 50 thousand into your checking account laura is just making up stories to make herself look good, ill be the run away wife I really don't care he is a free man what he does on his end is up to him, you better get going then before someone spots you, thank you so much she looks at me and gives me warming smile then winks.<br /> <br /> I step outside of the bank and take a last look around i plan not to step back into this city for years, i take one more big breath to calm my nerves down put on my sunglasses i start to take a step then i hear what sounded like someone slamming on their breaks, <br /> <br /> i thought someone was about to get ran over and i take a look to see what was going on when i noticed who's car it was i froze in my spot. Come on tessa get yourself together think of little one, i see a door open and richard gets out hollering my name, wait tessa i need to talk to you i shake my head no and turn around to take my steps away, tess please wait for me we need to talk, i turn to look at him and he is trying to dodge vehicles to get across the road to me and i spot my opportunity and took off running away from him and at this point instead of hollering my name he is screaming it.	LEARN_MORE	https://b.ficsworld.com/ad/Zmljd29ybGQvMjU4NDUxLzI	139299595929929	World002	https://facebook.com/61551823504143	88	1	2,211,883,219,194,419	2024-08-01 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	0	1	Learn more	World002	120210534414380061	b.ficsworld.com	NONE	video		https://b.ficsworld.com/ad/Zmljd29ybGQvMjU4NDUxLzIwMjQwNzMxMTY0MjQ4L3BhZ2U=?adid={{ad.id}}	2024-07-31 03:50	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/453536638_307990298990636_6337245186557365523_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=101&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=M6MNdNO4EaAQ7kNvgG8jN6f&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&oh=00_AYA5IJ2C0Zuc2iYYw0SMFVyVkBbAQIL3ftMLVwyN92J8Yw&oe=66B1E033	person_profile	World002	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/453628954_499487625960763_1965812821001771288_n.jpg?_nc_cat=102&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=zh0FWhWI4hoQ7kNvgEiZJIF&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&oh=00_AYB-ABM8yME0cq1hEP-M9IyrpHNJAfjd5sRpd1bxleHrlg&oe=66B1DFCD	3	World002	2024-08-01 02:00	View Edit Delete
1,952,759	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":1952747}'	Yes	2024-08-01 19:12	active	1201	797876529173694	Unlock the secrets of The Unwanted Billionaire Heirs 🥰	The Unwanted billionaire Heires🥰	LEARN_MORE	https://sites.sdrh2o.com/fb02.html?shorttv_adid=29	126997507157767	SHORT TV	https://facebook.com/61551042265812	430,881	54	457,738,307,037,036	2024-08-01 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	1	0	Learn more	SHORT TV	120209053945380284	sites.sdrh2o.com	NONE	video	💥 Billionaire Heirs: Unwanted Inheritance? Discover the Ultimate Solution for Your Legacy!	https://sites.sdrh2o.com/fb02.html?shorttv_adid=29762&language=en&timestamp=1720425325240&utm_source=facebook&campaign_id={{campaign.id}}&campaign_name={{campaign.name}}&adset_id={{adset.id}}&ad_id={{ad.id}}&ad_name={{ad.name}}	2024-08-01 02:37	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/453408574_1067418498075989_2731952546317406362_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=104&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=9ktdMT-K3zMQ7kNvgF821AC&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&oh=00_AYA_iqusVFI37euF9lg-aZesPpN2tUu3lmUTNdwg05DMMg&oe=66B1FCE9	person_profile	SHORT TV	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/453504230_888031540022506_459495777778464086_n.jpg?_nc_cat=109&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=c0_ehuPVo1UQ7kNvgE49uzv&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&oh=00_AYAKhcOqQ5M8YqcCiQTj0kerMRu1PsWJYtbjGusbXVXJ6A&oe=66B1E213	3	SHORT TV	2024-08-01 02:00	View Edit Delete
1,952,767	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":1952738}'	No	2024-08-01 19:12	active	1201	861208445895173	🔥🔥 Click to Read 👉🏻👉🏻	The noise was coming from across the hall. The jubilant exclamations. "Oh yes! Oh Alpha!"<br /> <br /> It hit me with a waive of nausea. My husband, my mate... was sleeping someone else in his bedroom across the hall. By the sounds of things, the woman was enjoying it a lot more than I had. I grasped my phone, but there was no use in calling anyone now. I knew the sickness that I had could not be helped by any doctor. There is no cure for the pain of an unfaithful mate. I knew it. And he knew it. He knew exactly what he was doing to me. I curled up on the floor, but there was no way to get any relief. I heard his lover scream in desire, just as the pain became so unbearable that I lost consciousness.<br /> <br /> That is how I woke up. Fell on my bedroom floor, smeared with my own blood. The stabbing pain was over and gone, but the ache of betrayal remained. It didn't matter that he didn't like me and I didn't like him... there was a thing that bonded us together that was beyond our control. My poor wolf was crying , whimpering, traumatized.<br /> <br /> I had just barely exited the room, when I felt an iron grip bite painfully into my arm, and spin me into the wall. I found myself face to face with Nolan.<br /> <br /> "Let me make something perfectly clear," he growled. "I do not want you, and I do not need you. You are only here in this house because my father is an old-fashioned fool. I will marry you to fulfill the treaty contract, but you will never be the Luna, and you will never be my mate." As if to punctuate his rejection, he gave me an extra shove against the wall, and then he stalked off in the other direction... and I was left staring after him... my mouth open, my face pale, and my arm aching.<br /> <br /> It wasn't a real rejection, right? I mean if he was formally rejecting me he would have to say the words. "I Nolan Pierceson of the Gold Mountain pack, do hereby reject you Nina..." And then I would reject him back, and the bond would break. But he hadn't said those words, exactly. Still there was a pain in my chest like something was ripping away. It was powerful enough that I had to hold my chest and gasp for breath. A few other people were trailing out of the dining room now, casting curious glances at me, and I knew I had to get upstairs before anyone started asking me questions that I couldn't answer. I was tired now, and I didn't really care who saw me limp as I dragged myself to the stairs and made my slow, painful climb up three flights. "Are you all right madam?" someone asked. I didn't even look at them, just ground out, "I'm fine." and kept climbing. Once I was at my floor, my legs were so bad I could barely walk at all. My left leg dragged, and I used the wall to balance as I made my way down the hall to my own door. Once inside I turned the lock, and fell across downstairs.<br /> <br /> ...<br /> <br /> I knew it was bad news when Daddy called me into the office to talk. When we want to discuss something nicely as a family, we do it around the dinner table. We don't get called into the office unless we are in trouble. As I followed Beta Phillip through the pack-house, I felt that heavy sense of foreboding weighing me down. I saw a sort of pity in Phillip's face when paused to let me catch up, and glanced back at me. I was already searching my mind, trying to think of what I might have done to get myself in trouble... but I'm really a pretty boring girl. I couldn't think of anything that might have triggered my father so badly that he would call me into the office.<br /> <br /> We came to a stop in front of the heavy oak door. Phillip knocked twice, and my father promptly called, "Enter!" Phillip opened the door, and stood aside for me to precede him into the room. It was so formal, it felt all wrong. And then he closed the door again, shutting me inside with my father. Daddy was hunched at his desk, and he didn't look happy. His handsome face was haggard, and somehow, he looked older today than he had just a few days ago. "Sit down, Nina."<br /> <br /> I limped to one of the leather wing backed chairs that faced his desk. I didn't limp because I had any recent injury, I just had bad legs. I sank gingerly down on the leather, sitting on the very edge, because somehow it didn't feel safe to relax. Daddy wasn't looking at me... he was looking at papers on his desk. He cleared his throat several times, as if he was struggling to find the right words. When he looked up, his face had hardened, and when he spoke, he spoke with his firm Alpha voice. Not his Daddy voice. That made me shrink back further into the chair.<br /> <br /> "Nina, as part of the treaty negotiations with the Gold Mountain Pack, I have agreed to a marriage alliance. You, Nina Boyton, will marry the Alpha's son, Nolan Pierceson on the next new moon."<br /> <br /> I felt like someone had punched me, knocked the air out of me. "What? Daddy! How could you??" I ,whispered in shock. Arranged marriages were an archaic thing of the past. Nobody did that any more, did they?<br /> <br /> Daddy looked pained. "I did it for the sake of our pack, Nina. We are a small pack, and since your mother..." he couldn't quite bring himself to say the word "died"..."We are weak and vulnerable. We need the protection of a larger, stronger pack. This political alliance will ensure our safety and our survival."<br /> <br /> I felt so many emotions whipping through me, I couldn't grab a hold of them. "But... why me?" I had two sisters, one older, and one younger. Janice was smart and strong, one of our best warriors. And the younger, Hannah was the beautiful one. None of us had found our mates, we were all single and available. I was almost sure if the Alpha of Gold Mountain had ever seen the three of us, he would have picked one of them. Not me. I am the most ordinary, non-descript, and insignificant of the Alpha's daughters. And then it hit me like a slap in the face. Without my father answering me, I knew why he had sacrificed me. I'm the weak one. I'm the expendable one. I'm the one with the "bad legs".<br /> <br /> "Its not what you think, Nina." My father said quietly. "It has nothing to do with your... condition." He never knew quite how to refer to my inexplicably weak legs. The pack doctors hadn't been able to diagnose the problem, even the human doctors had shrugged me off after a battery of inconclusive tests. I waited for him to explain. But my father didn't elaborate further, and that irritated me.<br /> <br /> "Don't I get a say in this? Don't you need my consent before you sell me off "for the sake of the pack"? What if I refuse?"<br /> <br /> My father's face blanched for a moment, and then darkened. "If you refuse, I will disown you, and you will be exiled from the pack."<br /> <br /> His words hit me like a slap in the face. My own father would throw me out of the family and out of the pack and make me go rogue? Who was this man, behind the desk? Surely this wasn't my Daddy. He wouldn't have done this to me. I felt a hot tear run down my cheek, and I could only think, if Mama had been alive, she never, ever would have allowed him to do this to me. For a few moments I seriously considered the option of refusing and being exiled. I didn't really stand a chance, as a lone she-wolf without a pack. I wasn't physically strong enough, but more importantly... I couldn't stand the idea of being forever separated from the family that I loved. Daddy was doing something terrible at that moment, that broke my heart. His responsibilities as Alpha had to come first... even if it meant sacrificing his own daughter. Although everything inside me was raging against it, I had to obey his order. Not only for him, but for the pack that I loved.<br /> <br /> My shoulders slumped forward in defeat. I could no longer meet his eye, and stared down at my toes instead. I couldn't find the words to speak, so I simply nodded. I didn't see his face, but I could hear the relief in his voice. I wonder if he'd secretly been worried that I would actually choose exile over a forced marriage. But when he spoke, it was the heartless, stern, Alpha voice again. "You will pack up your things. You will leave tomorrow in the morning."<br /> <br /> My head jrked up. "So soon? But you said, on the new moon?"<br /> <br /> "I said the marriage would take place on the new moon. The alpha has requested you to come immediately. Gretta will come and help you pack." He shuffled the papers on his desk, as if they were suddenly more important than his daughter. "You are dismissed."<br /> <br /> Dismissed? I don't ever remember my father speaking to me like that... like I was some underling to order about. I made my way back to my room in a stupor, passing pack members in the hall but not really seeing anyone, or hearing their greetings. I shut the door in my room and managed to lean back against it before the strength left my legs and I sank to the floor. Being forced to marry a stranger was bad enough, but it had deeper, more far reaching implications. I would be forever tied to a man I didn't love, and I would never get to experience the joy and completion of finding my mate. That's what every wolf longed for, as soon as they came of age. To find your goddess-given soul mate, the magical person who would complete you and make you whole. All happiness and satisfaction was tied up in that one, fated person. And I would be denied it, forever. Great big tears of self pity rolled down my cheeks as I absorbed the unfairness of it all.<br /> <br /> After awhile a knock came at the door, and Gretta, a sweet little omega who worked in the pack house poked her head in. "I was told to come assist you, Miss Nina." I sighed and hauled myself to my feet. I might as well resign myself to my miserable fate.<br /> <br /> "I need to pack," I said dully. "I'm leaving in the morning."<br /> <br /> "Oh, of course." She was too submissive to dare to ask where or why. I wondered if my sisters knew already, or if they were being kept in the dark too. I wasn't sure I could face them right now. I pulled two suitcases out of my closet that I had only used once when mother took us on a trip to Mexico. "What exactly do you want to pack?"<br /> <br /> I sighed and pulled open my drawers. "Just the absolute essentials Gretta," I said, pulling out my favorite clothes and throwing them on the bed. I was a no-nonsense kind of girl when it came to fashion. I preferred comfort over style, and I didn't own many nice or fancy things. I pulled a couple of nice dresses out of the closet and tossed them on the pile, for formal occasions. I wondered idly if there would be a real wedding dress for this farce of a marriage, or if we were just going to stand before the officiant in our street clothes while it was made legal.<br /> <br /> I looked around my room, trying to gauge what other things I needed to take. I slipped my mother's delicate porcelain jewelry box into the bag, wrapped carefully in one of my sweatshirts. There was the picture of my sisters and I, taken several years ago, our arms looped around each other, smiling happily at the camera. There was my leather bound journal, and my laptop. Other things seemed too childish to take to your marriage home... like the old, worn stuffed bear that had graced my pillow since I was six years old. But I did finally take the fuzzy lap-blanket, printed with cheerful sunflowers and butterflies, and tuck it in the top of my bag. After adding in the practical toiletries and other necessities, I sighed and declared the work finished. I felt a little sad that the entire of my 19 years of life could so easily be condensed into two suitcases, and another fat tear rolled down my cheek.<br /> <br /> I'd never felt so worthless and unloved in all my life. But now I had to face the facts. My own father considered me expendable. The Gold Mountain pack had demanded a bride, and I had been, quite literally, thrown to the wolves. A part of me wanted to call my sisters, to cry to them, to tell them how scared and worried I was about this great unknown responsibility that had just fallen on me... but I couldn't. I suppose I resented them. They would go on with their normal, happy lives after I left. My fate didn't matter much to them, in the grand scheme of things. Their sympathy at this point would only make me feel worse.<br /> <br /> I thanked Gretta for her help, and quietly closed the door behind her. My suitcases were standing neatly by the door. I grabbed my old, well loved teddy bear and curled up on the bed, and tried to shut my mind to all the hurt and all the worries that were eating at me. My mother would have said, "Chin up, sweetheart. Face the world head-on." Thinking of my sweet mother only made me cry harder, until I fell into an exhausted sleep.<br /> I awoke to a timid knock on the door. Dawn was barely breaking outside my window, and I was still sprawled across my bed in yesterday's clothes. My eyes felt puffy and gritty from crying. I had never eaten dinner, and my stomach was complaining. "Miss Nina?" Gretta called timidly. "The Beta says you should be prepared to leave in one hour."<br /> <br /> One hour. Jeezus, they weren't wasting any time in shipping me out of here. I dragged myself to the shower. The pain and weakness in my legs was always the worst first thing in the morning. I braced myself against the sink while I stripped down, and turned the shower on as hot as it could possibly go. I scrubbed and scrubbed at my skin as if I could wash away whatever fault, whatever weakness had made my father choose me. When my skin was pink and irritated, I washed my long, dark hair, and stepped out in a billow of herbal scented steam. What were you supposed to wear when you were being traded off to another pack? I felt like I should wear something black and ugly. After all, I was mourning the loss of my life, my hope, my freedom. But I decided against the funeral garb, and opted for a sun dress that was pretty, but casual. The bright turquoise color went well with my dark honey skin, and made my eyes look more gold than brown. I pulled my hair up into a lose bun, and fastened my favorite turquoise beaded choker around my neck, with the dainty, matching earrings. I stared at my reflection critically in the mirror. No matter how flattering the clothes, or pretty the jewelry, the young woman staring back at me was still just... me. The epitome of ordinary. Neither tall nor short, fat nor skinny, pretty nor ugly. I was simply unremarkable in every way... unless today you counted the fact that my eyes were still red and swollen and I was more pale than usual.<br /> <br /> At precisely 7:00 am there was a sharp knock on my door. I opened it, expecting to see my father, but instead it was his gamma, Pedro. "Miss Nina, your father said I am to drive you to the Gold Mountain pack. Are you ready?"<br /> It was a two hour drive from our small pack to the much larger Gold Mountain Pack territory. But you know when you DON'T want to arrive somewhere, it seems like the journey goes in the blink of an eye. If I were looking forward to this meeting, the two hours would have seemed forever. As it was, Pedro drove silently. My father's third had always been open and friendly with me, so I wondered if my father had given him orders not to talk to me. That hurt. Hurt on top of hurt seemed to be the order of the day. And I was hungry. I never went down for dinner the night before, and I had been rushed out of the house before I had a chance to eat breakfast this morning. With every grumble of my empty stomach, my mood was growing a little darker.<br /> <br /> I'd never been into Gold Mountain Territory. I'd only heard stories of the notorious pack. They were big, and strong, and brutal. Their warriors were considered the best, the elite, and reportedly trained relentlessly. They had no mercy on their enemies, and had reportedly wiped out entire packs who had betrayed them in one way or another. But I always took these kinds of stories with a grain of salt. Every pack wanted to be known as the biggest and the baddest, and stories tended to be exaggerated to bolster that reputation. My impression as we crossed the boundary and entered into their pack grounds was of absolutely beautiful, wild looking gardens, and a huge manor that would have fit our pack house inside it four times. It was T shaped and sprawled out into three wings, a beautiful structure built from native stone, with big windows framed by black shutters. It was fronted by a huge veranda and two big ornate doors that opened into the main hall.<br /> <br /> Pedro parked the SUV, and for the first time in the whole trip, Pedro turned and spoke to me. He laid his big, rough hand on mine in my lap. "Stay strong, Miss Nina. You can do this." That is all he said. He climbed out, and came around to open my door, as if I were someone important. He pulled my suitcases out of the boot, and then he escorted me up to the veranda, where a handful of people were waiting for me.<br /> <br /> There was a huge man, and I mean HUGE, who seemed to be about my father's age. He should have been nearly seven feet tall, with arms like tree trunks. His ruddy face was framed by two overgrown sideburns and a crazy mop of hair that reminded me of the Wolverine from the X-men comics. His eyes were a piercing pale blue, and quite cold as they watched me approach. Beside him, in sharp contrast, was a dainty little sprite of a woman. She barely cleared five foot, and was so petite it seemed like a strong wind might blow her away. She had long, curling blond hair, and beautiful green eyes, and a wide, friendly smile. I was so happy to see at least one smiling face, it eased my tension a bit. The other people stood back a bit from this couple, and seemed to be lower ranking pack members. They stared at me curiously.<br /> <br /> I concentrated really hard on controlling my uneven gate. I did not want these people to see me limping, and if I worked really hard, I could pull it off, but it took a lot of effort, and I had to move slowly. Under the circumstances, I thought it would seem appropriate that I approached a strange pack and strange people with slow caution. The pretty woman danced down the steps, and folded me into a warm and unexpected hvg. "Welcome to Gold Mountain, dear. I am Caydence, and my husband, Bernhard." She gestured to the lumberjack-giant who still stood on the steps. She didn't refer to herself as Luna, or her husband as Alpha, but it was obvious enough that they were the leaders. I looked around and wondered where the son was, the Nolan I was supposed to marry.<br /> <br /> As if sensing my inquiry, the Luna shook her golden curls. "My sons are not here at the moment, but you will meet them soon. Come, lets get you inside and get you settled." She looped her arm through mine, and with one last, helpless glance at Pedro, I let her drag me inside. The great pack house was as beautiful on the inside as it was on the outside, tastefully decorated and thoroughly modern. She lead me through a maze of rooms and corridors in a sort of whirlwind tour. "The conference room is there, and that is the entertainment room... and oh, that's the nursery for the pups... there is a guest bathroom here, and the kitchen is this way. Have you eaten?" She didn't even wait for me to answer, "I'm starving, lets go get some breakfast." She lead me into a huge dining hall, that easily could have seated a hundred people. She pulled me toward a table for two, and no sooner had our backside's hit the seat of the chairs than a uniformed waitress appeared. I recognized her as an omega, by her submissive posture.<br /> <br /> "Kelly dear, this is Nina Boyton, Nolan's betrothed." The waitress peaked up at me in surprise, then quickly looked back down at her order pad. "Nina, this is Kelly, one of our regular kitchen staff. So, what will you have?" Before I could answer, she was putting in her order. "I'll have a four-egg omelette, with Swiss cheese and mushrooms, a blueberry muffin, toasted with butter, and four sausage links."<br /> <br /> I blinked in surprise. How could such a tiny woman put away so much food?? Luna Caydence looked at me expectantly. "Um...I'll also have a muffin, and a cup of tea, please."<br /> <br /> When the waitress had scampered away, Luna Caydence reached across the table and placed her hand over mine. "I'm sure this is a very difficult and uncomfortable transition for you, my dear. But I want you to know that I am here for you, you are most welcome in this family, and I will do everything in my power to make you comfortable. But Nolan..."<br /> <br /> I swallowed... there was something ominous about that. But Nolan what? I was too afraid to ask.<br /> <br /> "Nolan can be... difficult." She said vaguely. "His father and I, we hope that he will settle down now, and take up his responsibilities."<br /> <br /> I frowned and fiddled with the silverware. Difficult? What did difficult mean? I wanted to ask more... I wanted to know more about what this future husband of mine was like. But I couldn't find the words, and I had a feeling that Caydence was done talking about her son. She had moved on, saying how happy she was to have a woman in the family, that she had heard so many nice things about me... well I was sure that was a bunch of baloney. I bet she knew absolutely nothing about me, beyond my name and my marriagablility. Still, I liked Caydence, I appreciated her friendliness. I tried to hide my smile as an enormous platter of food was set before the tiny woman, and she dug into her eggs with gusto. I was feeling very hungry, and probably could have put away nearly as much food, but I didn't want to seem like a glutton, so I tried to nible at my muffin and act lady-like.<br /> <br /> After we finished, (and yes, she finished everything on her plate,) she lead me up the stairs. I swallowed down my horror as I looked at the flights of elegantly curving staircase that I would have to traverse to get to my guest room on the third floor. Navigating stairs were very difficult for my heavy, clumsy legs, and it made them ache something fierce. Was it too much to hope that somewhere in this gigantic house there was a service elevator? Desperately trying to hide my pain and discomfort, I grasped the hand rail, and pulled myself up the stairs behind the spritely woman as fast as I could without falling flat on my face. When we got to the third floor, she looked back at me, struggling up the last few steps, and frowned, but said nothing. She lead me down a long hall, and opened the door to a beautiful guest suite, with a big bed, and a private en-suite bathroom. My suitcases had already been deposited inside. "Make yourself comfortable my dear. I'll send Daisy to you when she's done cleaning up from breakfast. If there is anything you need, she can be of assistance. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some business to attend to.." And just like that, she left me alone in the beautiful room, in the big, strange house.<br /> <br /> Daisy was a delightful young Omega who was assigned to be my maid. Not that I really needed a maid, mind you, but I was happy to have her as a companion. Her name suited her perfectly, because like the wild-flower, she was bright, cheerful, and sunny. Her smile was too wide for her little face, her nose turned up, and her dark blond hair was an uncontrollable riot of curls. Her blue eyes danced with good humor, and she just seemed like the kind of person that was genuinely happy right down to the core of her being. I loved her right away. She helped me unpack my few things, and then we sat together on the bed and we talked for a few minutes.<br /> <br /> "What is life like in the pack?" I asked her.<br /> <br /> She smiled (I don't think I'd seen her NOT smile, ever) "Oh its a good life," She said sincerely. "The Alpha runs a tight ship, we work hard, we train hard, but its a very fair pack, and we have a lot of fun too. We can't wait for your marriage celebration. I hear the Luna is planning a big party, and the whole pack will be invited. I love parties! Even if I have to work in the kitchen, we are allowed to take shifts so we all get to have a turn taking part in the festivities."<br /> <br /> I smiled. I already liked the way the Luna ran her household. In some packs, omegas were treated like slaves. I think at home we treated them fairly. They were paid wages for the work they did, but Daddy didn't exactly go out of his way to make them feel like they were valued members of our family. They were definitely looked down upon, and that had never really sat well with me. Not every member of the pack could be a warrior, and the omega's performed really valuable services by taking care of the children and providing domestic services that the hunters simply didn't have time for.<br /> <br /> "And what what about Nolan. What is he like?"<br /> <br /> For the first time, Daisy's perpetual smile faltered. She pasted it back on, but it wasn't quite as real as it had been before. "Oh he's very handsome." She said. "He's so tall, like the Alpha, but not so burly."<br /> <br /> "Okay, he's nice to look at, but what is he LIKE? What is his personality like."<br /> <br /> Daisy pushed herself off the bed. "I think its better if you get to know him for yourself, mistress. I don't want your impressions of him to be influenced by my opinions. I need to go see about preparing the food. If you need anything just call me." And she slipped away, quietly shutting the door behind her.<br /> <br /> Oh boy. I stared at my hands, at the short trimmed nails that hadn't seen a polish since my thirteenth birthday. All the things that Daisy HADN'T said spoke more loudly than the words she DID say. If Nolan was truly a great guy, she would have been eager to extol his virtues, right? She would have said, "He's really kind. He's really gentle. He's really just." But she didn't say anything. I suppose it was commendable that she chose silence over lies, but I was growing increasingly uneasy. The Luna called him "difficult", and my new friend wouldn't call him anything, except handsome. But it wouldn't matter if he was the most handsome man in the world if he was a complete as hole.<br /> <br /> I felt a little nervous going down to dinner, knowing that I would meet my husband-to-be. I tried to pick out a pretty outfit, without being overtly over dressed. I brushed out my hair and left it loose, as the long chocolate colored waves were maybe one of my best assets. I even tried to put on a little make up, just to add some definition to my eyes. I sighed at my reflection, dissatisfied but knowing that it was the best I could do. I grimaced at the prospect of going down all those stairs, and reminded myself that I needed to ask Daisy if there was a service elevator in the house. The way how it was all decked out with modern appliances, it seemed like it must have a lift hidden somewhere. But then again, they probably hadn't figured in the possibility of a disabled werewolf when they designed the manor.<br /> <br /> I can't describe to you what an ordeal it is for me to navigate a set of stairs. I have to creep down one step at a time. Left foot down, right foot down onto the same stair. And then repeat. If I try to march down the steps like a normal person, alternating feet on alternating stairs, one of my legs is sure to collapse, and I'll take an ugly tumble down. Ask me how I know... I'm embarrassed to say its happened more times than I can count. So I have to go down the stairs like a little kid, clinging to the rail, one step at a time, praying that no one is watching me. Luckily I seem to be the only guest on the third floor at the moment, and I'm nearly at the bottom before I start seeing other people scurrying around in preparation for dinner.<br /> <br /> Daisy came around the corner, her face split in a smile, and her eyes lighting up as she saw me, "Ah there you are mistress! Luna had just sent me to go fetch you. The meal is nearly ready. You look very nice, I love that top." She bubbled cheerfully, and took my elbow to guide me back toward the dining room. Unlike this morning, when the room had been empty, this evening it was crammed full. I swallowed nervously and did my best to straighten my spine and walk normally. From every table, heads turned and looked at me, and people whispered, and I felt the blood rush to my face. I'm not normally shy, but I can't say that I really like being the center of attention either.<br /> <br /> "Nina darling, over here!" The Luna stood, and gestured to an empty seat at what appeared to be the Alpha's table. Daisy patted me on the shoulder and went back to the kitchen, while I made my way to the Luna. I reminded myself that from now on, this was my family, and these were my people. I sat in the empty seat, and looked around, but I still didn't see anyone "tall and handsome" that should be Nolan. There was a slim and slight black man sitting opposite the Alpha, and next to the black man, a pretty and slightly plump white woman. "Our Beta, Floyd, and his wife, Moira." the Luna made the introductions. The beta gave me a look. It was not a nice look. Somehow I imagined it was the look a spectator would give a condemned prisoner. His wife Moira gave me a small, friendly smile, and offered her hand. "Welcome to the family, dear." she said. She had a beautiful, lilting voice.<br /> <br /> The waitstaff started going around the room serving the food. "Its Italian night," the Luna explained, as bowls of salads, plates of meat and cheese lasagna, and carving boards of hot sourdough bread where arranged at each table. The food smelled delicious, and the Luna did not hesitate to compliment the kitchen staff on their excellent work. "Oh Berta, please come and meet Nina Boyton. Nina, this is Berta, she is the manager of our kitchen, an absolute genius with food and hospitality." Berta flushed happily and bobbed in a curtsy.<br /> <br /> "Thank you, Luna. Nice to meet you Mistress. Welcome. If you'll excuse me, the dessert..." and she hurried off again.<br /> <br /> There was the quiet and content murmur of a room full of people where were eating and enjoying casual conversations... when the door suddenly slammed open, and all conversation ground to an abrupt halt. Into the now silent hall, two young men entered... and I immediately felt a strange and dizzy sensation over take me. I held my head at the temples and peaked through my hands at what must surely be Nolan... and his brother William. Daisy was right. He was handsome. He looked like some Roman god, with his shoulders squared, his jaw set, his hair flowing around his shoulders, a little rough stubble on his finely carved jawline. He was all muscle. But his eyes... oh his eyes... even from across the room I could see the unique blue-grey color of his irises, and they were cold. Ice cold and furious. And somehow I just knew that that fury was directed at me. I felt the childish urge to slide down in my chair and hide under the table.<br /> <br /> At the same time, I was bombarded by the sweetest and most intoxicating aroma... of what? Was that his aftershave? A cologne? He didn't look like the kind of man who would douse himself in cologne, but he smelled really, really good. Like fragrant cedar and something sweet and musky. While I was on one hand tempted to hide from those cold, angry eyes... on the other hand I had the insane urge to run to him, to bury my head in his neck, and inhale that sweet, attractive smell. His mouth pressed into a flat, hard line... which totally ruined the effect of his full, sensual lips, as he stalked over to the family table.<br /> Belatedly, I noted his brother. Both the Luna and Daisy and mentioned that there was a younger brother, William. William seemed to favor his mother's genetics. He was not as big or as intimidating as Nolan, His blond hair was neatly trimmed, and he had a more willowy, graceful figure. His eyes were very blue, and very amused. As much as his brother had eyed me with hatred, I had the distinct feeling that this one was laughing at me, and I didn't like it. If there is one thing I can not tolerate, its being laughed at.<br /> <br /> I didn't worry about the younger brother for long, because the closer Nolan stalked, the stranger I began to feel. I felt like I couldn't get enough oxygen in my body, and I wondered if I might actually pass out. I'm not one of those weak, fainting girls. I've never passed out in my life. But at that moment I was seeing funny little black spots around the edge of my vision, and I was awfully dizzy.<br /> <br /> "Nolan," Luna spoke, a sharp edge of disapproval in her voice, "Its nice of you to join us. I want you to meet Nina..." Nolan jrked out a chair, and instead of offering me a hand, or a greeting or a good old-fashioned "nice to meet you," he growled at me.<br /> <br /> He growled at me, and my inner wolf whimpered. Mate. She whispered.<br /> <br /> No. Oh no no no. This cold eyed, impolite Neanderthal of a man could not be our mate. My mind fought it even as my body responded to that pheromone he was pumping out. I looked him in the eye and I saw that he knew it too. And he had absolutely no intention of acknowledging it. He must have a thing of a lot of self control to be able to shrug off the mate bond, and slather butter on a piece of bread like nothing else mattered.<br /> <br /> He hates us. He doesn't want us.<br /> <br /> I picked up my fork and tried to push my sluggish mind into some coherent thought. What were the odds that I get thrown into an arranged marriage, and the husband forced on me is actually my mate? Like one in a billion, right? But then what are the odds that I finally meet my mate, and he hates me? He hasn't said the words, but I can feel the aura of rejection wafting off of him almost as surely as I can smell his cedar-scent. How utterly cruel and unfair was that? Its like the universe having some great cosmic laugh at my expense. Well, what am I going to do? I'm not going to cry in front of all these people. Most importantly, I'm not going to cry in front of that insufferable man. I pushed my shoulders back, I shut off my whimpering wolf, I lifted my chin, and I looked him straight in the eye, as I took a bite of the lasagna. I'm sure it was as delicious as it smelled, but in that moment it tasted like dirt in my mouth. But I'd be doomed if I let that man know that I had lost my appetite over him. I chewed and swallowed, and washed it down with a swig of water.<br /> <br /> He met my eyes briefly, and then he turned to his brother and completely ignored me.<br /> <br /> His brother however, at least had the decent manners to greet me, and to welcome me to the pack. His keen blue eyes traveled back and forth between his older brother, then across the table to me, and back again. Then he shrugged and dug into his food. He made polite conversation with his mother, and sometimes he included me. "How are you finding it here, Nina? Is your room comfortable? Do you need anything?"<br /> <br /> "Oh yes, everything is great." I said, forcing more enthusiasm into my voice than I actually felt. Oh yes, everything is peachy. I've just been yanked out of my childhood home for the sake of some cute treaty. Yes, your home is very nice, and most of the people have been very friendly, but the man I'm supposed to marry is a total bad idea. Everything is great. I forced myself to eat mechanically, and made it through half the lasagna on my plate before I gave up and sat back in my chair. I stared at Nolan. He looks like Jason Mamoa I thought. Without the beard and with better hair. I wonder if he had any tattoos hiding under his clothes. My sisters would be jealous... until they realized that he's an absolute tool.<br /> <br /> Dinner plates were cleared away, and I was eager to excuse myself, but before I could push away from the table, a decadent dessert of tiramisu was brought out. I was no longer hungry. Even the prospect of sugar wasn't appealing at the moment, but I was painfully aware that I was new, I was a guest, and I needed to behave accordingly. I took a couple of bites, and really wished I had the appetite to enjoy the dessert, but I was far too aware of the man across the table. It annoyed me that he was completely unaffected. He shoveled in his food, carried on conversation, and acted like I wasn't even there. When our eyes did meet, I was met with icy, angry daggers and some silent warning that I didn't really understand.<br /> <br /> Finally, when I saw a few other people excusing themselves around the room, I saw my opportunity to escape. "Luna, thank you for a lovely meal," I said politely. "Please excuse me," I pushed back my chair, said goodnight to the rest of the table, and did my best to make a dignified exit, but it was getting harder and harder to walk normally and my stress and my exhaustion seemed to be compounding on me. But the absolute last thing I wanted at that moment was for that arrogant bad guy to see that I had a fatal flaw. He already hated me for no reason, how much more would he despise me for my weakness?<br /> <br /> I had just barely exited the room, when I felt an iron grip bite painfully into my arm, and spin me into the wall. If I hadn't had the support of the wall behind me, I would have fallen over myself. I found myself face to face with Nolan. Where his hand bit painfully into my arm, I felt the sparks. Oh Goddess the sparks that everyone made such a big deal over... they were magical, erotic, passionate, blah, blah. Well they probably never felt those sparks when their mate was squeezing out of their arm, and probably leaving bruises in the process. They probably never felt those sparks when their mate was staring down at you like you were a piece of trash they'd like to throw in the compactor. Being sexually attracted to someone who was clearly out to hurt me did not feel magical. It felt sickening.<br /> "Let me make something perfectly clear," he growled. "I do not want you, and I do not need you. You are only here in this house because my father is an old-fashioned pig-headed dummy. I will marry you to fulfill the treaty contract, but you will never be the Luna, and you will never be my mate." As if to punctuate his rejection, he gave me an extra shove against the wall, and then he stalked off in the other direction... and I was left staring after him... my mouth open, my face pale, and my arm aching.<br /> <br /> It wasn't a real rejection, right? I mean if he was formally rejecting me he would have to say the words. "I Nolan Pierceson of the Gold Mountain pack, do hereby reject you Nina..." And then I would reject him back, and the bond would break. But he hadn't said those words, exactly. Still there was a pain in my chest like something was ripping away. It was powerful enough that I had to hold my chest and gasp for breath. A few other people were trailing out of the dining room now, casting curious glances at me, and I knew I had to get upstairs before anyone started asking me questions that I couldn't answer. I was tired now, and I didn't really care who saw me limp as I dragged myself to the stairs and made my slow, painful climb up three flights. "Are you all right madam?" someone asked. I didn't even look at them, just ground out, "I'm fine." and kept climbing. Once I was at my floor, my legs were so bad I could barely walk at all. My left leg dragged, and I used the wall to balance as I made my way down the hall to my own door. Once inside I turned the lock, and fell across the bed.<br /> <br /> "I will not cry." I chanted. "I will not cry." And I didn't. Nolan Pierceson, I wasn't going to shed a tear for him, nor was I going to wallow in self-pity. He didn't want me? Well I didn't want his arrogant bottom either. My body wasn't strong, but when I set my mind to something, I had an iron will. And I had firmly set my mind against Nolan, and the mating bond. I would play nice until the new moon. When the marriage ceremony was completed, and all the pack alliances signed and sealed, I would reject him myself. And then what? What do you do with the rest of your life?<br /> <br /> Well, I would worry about the rest of my life another day. For today I settled for hot bath. I soaked my aching legs, and scrubbed the make-up off my face. I tried to dismiss Nolan from my thoughts, but I couldn't help but wonder what had made him hate me so much, right from the start. Was it me? Or was it the forced marriage? I mean, I know I'm not much to look at, and I've got a disability, but I don't think he even realized that yet. I hadn't even had enough time to truly piss him off yet. So what was it that had him in such a yank?<br /> <br /> I sighed and pulled the plug out of the tub, letting the water drain down. Men were like aliens. Who could understand them anyway? And who would want to? I slipped into my pajamas and crawled into the bed, totally overwhelmed with everything my brain had had to process in just one day.<br /> <br /> I awoke to a knock on my door. I was pretty sure I had locked it the night before, but still the handle turned and the door opened. I was expecting Daisy's smiling face, but instead it was William. "Hey," he smiled at me, and it seemed like a genuine smile this time. "Mama wanted me to come call you down for breakfast."<br /> <br /> "Oh," I said sleepily, propping myself up on my elbows. "I guess I overslept. Give me a few minutes to get ready"<br /> <br /> "Okay." Instead of leaving, he sprawled himself in the corner seat by the window and waited. I glared at him and wondered if it was entirely appropriate for your future brother-in-law to be making himself comfortable in your bedroom when you aren't even dressed. I thought about demanding he leave, but then changed my mind. Who cared if he saw me in my nightgown? It wasn't like I was indecent. And it wasn't like I owed his brother any kind of fidelity. I flipped back the covers and hauled my heavy body out of bed. I knew his keen eyes were seeing everything. He saw how I limped to the bathroom, and for once, I didn't care. Let him see. Let him see every god thing and report it back to his brother. I slammed the door to the bathroom just to punctuate my own cranky thoughts.<br /> <br /> I turned on the water to brush my teeth and wash my face, but I heard his voice over the faucet. "So that was pretty intense last night." He was commenting. I heard the door to my closet open. What, was he going through my things? "I've never seen anyone stare down my brother before." There was the definite sound of a drawer opening and closing. "This is going to be a very, very interesting marriage."<br /> <br /> I spit out my tooth paste, and yanked the door open to find that he had set out a set of clothes for me, along with clean underwear and a bra. "What are you doing in my clothes?"<br /> <br /> "No worries, just hurrying along. You have nothing to fear from me, peanut. You aren't my type."<br /> <br /> I narrowed my eyes, "And what exactly IS your type?"<br /> <br /> William sighed. "Tall, dark and handsome." I stared at him, not quite comprehending. "Men, Nina. I'm gay."<br /> <br /> "Oh." Was all I could say. Well, I suppose that probably explained his excellent fashion sense. I scooped up the clothes off the bed and retreated back into the bathroom to change. He continued to talk to me through the closed door. "Nolan didn't want to get married. Dad told him if he didn't get married, he would pass the Alpha title to his beta."<br /> <br /> "Why his beta?" I poked my head out of the bathroom again. "Why not to you?"<br /> <br /> William laughed, "Sweetheart, my dad seriously struggles with my sexual orientation. Mostly he just tries to ignore it. And besides, I don't want it. I don't have the constitution of an Alpha." I wondered exactly what that meant, but he didn't elaborate, and I didn't feel it was polite to ask. I did think it was pretty that his father would pass him up as Alpha because of his sexuality. The fact that William was kind of the black sheep of the family made me like him a little more.<br /> <br /> "So? I didn't want to get married either. Its not like it was my idea. What's he got against me?"<br /> <br /> "Nolan is always angry, don't take it personally. You just do you, and let him growl and snarl and spit all he wants. I'm sure he'll get over it eventually."<br /> <br /> "Right." He'll get over it eventually. That sounded so promising, I thought sarcastically. I dragged a brush through my tangled hair and sighed. "Okay, ready. Let's go."<br /> <br /> He held open the door for me, and I hobbled through. He held out his elbow like a gentleman, which was weird, but nice, and I took advantage of it. I waited for him to say something about my limp. But he didn't. I expected him to take me down the stairs, but instead he turned down a different corridor. "Um, where are we going?"<br /> <br /> "There is an elevator at the end of the wing. Its private, for the Alphas to access the 4th floor. But you are marrying the future alpha, so I think you are permitted to use it." At that moment I could have touched him. He produced a key from his pocket and handed it to me. "This is my key, but you can use it until you get your own. I can always take the stairs." You had to insert the key and turn it to call the elevator. Once the doors slid open, you removed the key and selected your floor. I breathed a sigh of relief as the elevator carried us down to the ground floor. It opened into an unfamiliar area behind the kitchens, but William led me through the maze of halls back to the dining room.<br /> <br /> "Ah there you are!" Luna Caydence called from the table.<br /> <br /> "I'm sorry Luna, I overslept."<br /> <br /> "Think nothing of it dear, but I wanted to go over some details of the wedding ceremony with you."<br /> <br /> Well, there went my appetite for breakfast. I didn't want to think about a wedding, let alone plan the details. "Your father sent over a dress," She was saying, and passed me a white box that was getting a little yellowed around the edges. I lifted the cover and felt tears burn behind my eyes.<br /> <br /> "Oh... my mother's dress." I whispered. I touched the delicate silk and lace. That was a strangely thoughtful and sentimental gesture on my father's part. Who forces their daughter into an arranged marriage, and then sends them a precious family heirloom? But it only made me feel more sad and distraught. I had dreamed that one day I would marry my soul mate, the love of my life, and I would wear my mama's dress, which had been HER mama's dress. It seemed wrong to wear such a special garment to a farce of marriage with a man who despised me.<br /> <br /> "Oooh, it was your mother's? How very special! Take it out dear, lets see it!"<br /> <br /> I didn't really want to take it out of the box, but I did. It was a simple and beautiful dress, with a fitted bodice, off-the shoulder sleeves, and a long, full skirt. The bodice was decorated with lace and tiny pearls, and the same lace edged the bottom of the long skirt. I was not as pretty or shapely as my mother, but we were a similar size, and I thought the dress would fit me well enough without needing any alterations. The Luna fawned over the dress. "Its very pretty, so elegent. You will look absolutely beautiful." She said kindly. I swallowed the knot in my throat and carefully folded it back into the box. Mama would have hated all of this. She would never have let this marriage happen, especially if she got a glimpse of the black-and-blue fingerprints that Nolan had left on my arm last night.<br /> <br /> I took a deep breath and set the box aside as breakfast arrived. I sipped my tea and listened as the Luna went over other details. Flowers and seating and ceremonial nuances. I didn't care, but I tried my best to act interested. When she asked me questions, I answered. "What is your favorite flower, dear?"<br /> <br /> "Sunflowers." I said without hesitation.<br /> <br /> "And your favorite color?"<br /> <br /> "Turquoise."<br /> <br /> She went on about bringing a stylist to do my hair and make up, and I swirled a spoon around in my yogurt. Really I just wanted this to be over. William came and sat and occasionally added his two cents to the conversation. The wedding ceremony would be on the back lawn, with seating for private guests only. The gazebo would be decorated out for the occasion. After it was all official, we would move to the pack meeting house, where we would be publicly celebrated, and Nolan would be presented as the new Alpha of the pack, and I would be presented as Luna.<br /> <br /> I choked on my tea. Nolan had said emphatically that I would "never be Luna." But it seemed that his parents had other ideas. What was I supposed to do? "Luna, I don't think--"<br /> <br /> The Luna gave me a hard look. "You are his wife. You will be the Luna. No matter what he says." That made me wonder if Nolan had already taken this argument to his mother. Would I still be the Luna after I rejected him? Would he divorce me once he had all his political ducks in a row? I wanted to bury my head in my hands. I gave William a pleading look, but he only shrugged back at me. So much for having an ally in the house.	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1,952,764	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":1952738}'	Yes	2024-08-01 19:12	active	1201	843674300707316	🔥🔥 Click to Read 👉🏻👉🏻	The noise was coming from across the hall. The jubilant exclamations. "Oh yes! Oh Alpha!"<br /> <br /> It hit me with a waive of nausea. My husband, my mate... was sleeping someone else in his bedroom across the hall. By the sounds of things, the woman was enjoying it a lot more than I had. I grasped my phone, but there was no use in calling anyone now. I knew the sickness that I had could not be helped by any doctor. There is no cure for the pain of an unfaithful mate. I knew it. And he knew it. He knew exactly what he was doing to me. I curled up on the floor, but there was no way to get any relief. I heard his lover scream in desire, just as the pain became so unbearable that I lost consciousness.<br /> <br /> That is how I woke up. Fell on my bedroom floor, smeared with my own blood. The stabbing pain was over and gone, but the ache of betrayal remained. It didn't matter that he didn't like me and I didn't like him... there was a thing that bonded us together that was beyond our control. My poor wolf was crying , whimpering, traumatized.<br /> <br /> I had just barely exited the room, when I felt an iron grip bite painfully into my arm, and spin me into the wall. I found myself face to face with Nolan.<br /> <br /> "Let me make something perfectly clear," he growled. "I do not want you, and I do not need you. You are only here in this house because my father is an old-fashioned fool. I will marry you to fulfill the treaty contract, but you will never be the Luna, and you will never be my mate." As if to punctuate his rejection, he gave me an extra shove against the wall, and then he stalked off in the other direction... and I was left staring after him... my mouth open, my face pale, and my arm aching.<br /> <br /> It wasn't a real rejection, right? I mean if he was formally rejecting me he would have to say the words. "I Nolan Pierceson of the Gold Mountain pack, do hereby reject you Nina..." And then I would reject him back, and the bond would break. But he hadn't said those words, exactly. Still there was a pain in my chest like something was ripping away. It was powerful enough that I had to hold my chest and gasp for breath. A few other people were trailing out of the dining room now, casting curious glances at me, and I knew I had to get upstairs before anyone started asking me questions that I couldn't answer. I was tired now, and I didn't really care who saw me limp as I dragged myself to the stairs and made my slow, painful climb up three flights. "Are you all right madam?" someone asked. I didn't even look at them, just ground out, "I'm fine." and kept climbing. Once I was at my floor, my legs were so bad I could barely walk at all. My left leg dragged, and I used the wall to balance as I made my way down the hall to my own door. Once inside I turned the lock, and fell across downstairs.<br /> <br /> ...<br /> <br /> I knew it was bad news when Daddy called me into the office to talk. When we want to discuss something nicely as a family, we do it around the dinner table. We don't get called into the office unless we are in trouble. As I followed Beta Phillip through the pack-house, I felt that heavy sense of foreboding weighing me down. I saw a sort of pity in Phillip's face when paused to let me catch up, and glanced back at me. I was already searching my mind, trying to think of what I might have done to get myself in trouble... but I'm really a pretty boring girl. I couldn't think of anything that might have triggered my father so badly that he would call me into the office.<br /> <br /> We came to a stop in front of the heavy oak door. Phillip knocked twice, and my father promptly called, "Enter!" Phillip opened the door, and stood aside for me to precede him into the room. It was so formal, it felt all wrong. And then he closed the door again, shutting me inside with my father. Daddy was hunched at his desk, and he didn't look happy. His handsome face was haggard, and somehow, he looked older today than he had just a few days ago. "Sit down, Nina."<br /> <br /> I limped to one of the leather wing backed chairs that faced his desk. I didn't limp because I had any recent injury, I just had bad legs. I sank gingerly down on the leather, sitting on the very edge, because somehow it didn't feel safe to relax. Daddy wasn't looking at me... he was looking at papers on his desk. He cleared his throat several times, as if he was struggling to find the right words. When he looked up, his face had hardened, and when he spoke, he spoke with his firm Alpha voice. Not his Daddy voice. That made me shrink back further into the chair.<br /> <br /> "Nina, as part of the treaty negotiations with the Gold Mountain Pack, I have agreed to a marriage alliance. You, Nina Boyton, will marry the Alpha's son, Nolan Pierceson on the next new moon."<br /> <br /> I felt like someone had punched me, knocked the air out of me. "What? Daddy! How could you??" I ,whispered in shock. Arranged marriages were an archaic thing of the past. Nobody did that any more, did they?<br /> <br /> Daddy looked pained. "I did it for the sake of our pack, Nina. We are a small pack, and since your mother..." he couldn't quite bring himself to say the word "died"..."We are weak and vulnerable. We need the protection of a larger, stronger pack. This political alliance will ensure our safety and our survival."<br /> <br /> I felt so many emotions whipping through me, I couldn't grab a hold of them. "But... why me?" I had two sisters, one older, and one younger. Janice was smart and strong, one of our best warriors. And the younger, Hannah was the beautiful one. None of us had found our mates, we were all single and available. I was almost sure if the Alpha of Gold Mountain had ever seen the three of us, he would have picked one of them. Not me. I am the most ordinary, non-descript, and insignificant of the Alpha's daughters. And then it hit me like a slap in the face. Without my father answering me, I knew why he had sacrificed me. I'm the weak one. I'm the expendable one. I'm the one with the "bad legs".<br /> <br /> "Its not what you think, Nina." My father said quietly. "It has nothing to do with your... condition." He never knew quite how to refer to my inexplicably weak legs. The pack doctors hadn't been able to diagnose the problem, even the human doctors had shrugged me off after a battery of inconclusive tests. I waited for him to explain. But my father didn't elaborate further, and that irritated me.<br /> <br /> "Don't I get a say in this? Don't you need my consent before you sell me off "for the sake of the pack"? What if I refuse?"<br /> <br /> My father's face blanched for a moment, and then darkened. "If you refuse, I will disown you, and you will be exiled from the pack."<br /> <br /> His words hit me like a slap in the face. My own father would throw me out of the family and out of the pack and make me go rogue? Who was this man, behind the desk? Surely this wasn't my Daddy. He wouldn't have done this to me. I felt a hot tear run down my cheek, and I could only think, if Mama had been alive, she never, ever would have allowed him to do this to me. For a few moments I seriously considered the option of refusing and being exiled. I didn't really stand a chance, as a lone she-wolf without a pack. I wasn't physically strong enough, but more importantly... I couldn't stand the idea of being forever separated from the family that I loved. Daddy was doing something terrible at that moment, that broke my heart. His responsibilities as Alpha had to come first... even if it meant sacrificing his own daughter. Although everything inside me was raging against it, I had to obey his order. Not only for him, but for the pack that I loved.<br /> <br /> My shoulders slumped forward in defeat. I could no longer meet his eye, and stared down at my toes instead. I couldn't find the words to speak, so I simply nodded. I didn't see his face, but I could hear the relief in his voice. I wonder if he'd secretly been worried that I would actually choose exile over a forced marriage. But when he spoke, it was the heartless, stern, Alpha voice again. "You will pack up your things. You will leave tomorrow in the morning."<br /> <br /> My head jrked up. "So soon? But you said, on the new moon?"<br /> <br /> "I said the marriage would take place on the new moon. The alpha has requested you to come immediately. Gretta will come and help you pack." He shuffled the papers on his desk, as if they were suddenly more important than his daughter. "You are dismissed."<br /> <br /> Dismissed? I don't ever remember my father speaking to me like that... like I was some underling to order about. I made my way back to my room in a stupor, passing pack members in the hall but not really seeing anyone, or hearing their greetings. I shut the door in my room and managed to lean back against it before the strength left my legs and I sank to the floor. Being forced to marry a stranger was bad enough, but it had deeper, more far reaching implications. I would be forever tied to a man I didn't love, and I would never get to experience the joy and completion of finding my mate. That's what every wolf longed for, as soon as they came of age. To find your goddess-given soul mate, the magical person who would complete you and make you whole. All happiness and satisfaction was tied up in that one, fated person. And I would be denied it, forever. Great big tears of self pity rolled down my cheeks as I absorbed the unfairness of it all.<br /> <br /> After awhile a knock came at the door, and Gretta, a sweet little omega who worked in the pack house poked her head in. "I was told to come assist you, Miss Nina." I sighed and hauled myself to my feet. I might as well resign myself to my miserable fate.<br /> <br /> "I need to pack," I said dully. "I'm leaving in the morning."<br /> <br /> "Oh, of course." She was too submissive to dare to ask where or why. I wondered if my sisters knew already, or if they were being kept in the dark too. I wasn't sure I could face them right now. I pulled two suitcases out of my closet that I had only used once when mother took us on a trip to Mexico. "What exactly do you want to pack?"<br /> <br /> I sighed and pulled open my drawers. "Just the absolute essentials Gretta," I said, pulling out my favorite clothes and throwing them on the bed. I was a no-nonsense kind of girl when it came to fashion. I preferred comfort over style, and I didn't own many nice or fancy things. I pulled a couple of nice dresses out of the closet and tossed them on the pile, for formal occasions. I wondered idly if there would be a real wedding dress for this farce of a marriage, or if we were just going to stand before the officiant in our street clothes while it was made legal.<br /> <br /> I looked around my room, trying to gauge what other things I needed to take. I slipped my mother's delicate porcelain jewelry box into the bag, wrapped carefully in one of my sweatshirts. There was the picture of my sisters and I, taken several years ago, our arms looped around each other, smiling happily at the camera. There was my leather bound journal, and my laptop. Other things seemed too childish to take to your marriage home... like the old, worn stuffed bear that had graced my pillow since I was six years old. But I did finally take the fuzzy lap-blanket, printed with cheerful sunflowers and butterflies, and tuck it in the top of my bag. After adding in the practical toiletries and other necessities, I sighed and declared the work finished. I felt a little sad that the entire of my 19 years of life could so easily be condensed into two suitcases, and another fat tear rolled down my cheek.<br /> <br /> I'd never felt so worthless and unloved in all my life. But now I had to face the facts. My own father considered me expendable. The Gold Mountain pack had demanded a bride, and I had been, quite literally, thrown to the wolves. A part of me wanted to call my sisters, to cry to them, to tell them how scared and worried I was about this great unknown responsibility that had just fallen on me... but I couldn't. I suppose I resented them. They would go on with their normal, happy lives after I left. My fate didn't matter much to them, in the grand scheme of things. Their sympathy at this point would only make me feel worse.<br /> <br /> I thanked Gretta for her help, and quietly closed the door behind her. My suitcases were standing neatly by the door. I grabbed my old, well loved teddy bear and curled up on the bed, and tried to shut my mind to all the hurt and all the worries that were eating at me. My mother would have said, "Chin up, sweetheart. Face the world head-on." Thinking of my sweet mother only made me cry harder, until I fell into an exhausted sleep.<br /> I awoke to a timid knock on the door. Dawn was barely breaking outside my window, and I was still sprawled across my bed in yesterday's clothes. My eyes felt puffy and gritty from crying. I had never eaten dinner, and my stomach was complaining. "Miss Nina?" Gretta called timidly. "The Beta says you should be prepared to leave in one hour."<br /> <br /> One hour. Jeezus, they weren't wasting any time in shipping me out of here. I dragged myself to the shower. The pain and weakness in my legs was always the worst first thing in the morning. I braced myself against the sink while I stripped down, and turned the shower on as hot as it could possibly go. I scrubbed and scrubbed at my skin as if I could wash away whatever fault, whatever weakness had made my father choose me. When my skin was pink and irritated, I washed my long, dark hair, and stepped out in a billow of herbal scented steam. What were you supposed to wear when you were being traded off to another pack? I felt like I should wear something black and ugly. After all, I was mourning the loss of my life, my hope, my freedom. But I decided against the funeral garb, and opted for a sun dress that was pretty, but casual. The bright turquoise color went well with my dark honey skin, and made my eyes look more gold than brown. I pulled my hair up into a lose bun, and fastened my favorite turquoise beaded choker around my neck, with the dainty, matching earrings. I stared at my reflection critically in the mirror. No matter how flattering the clothes, or pretty the jewelry, the young woman staring back at me was still just... me. The epitome of ordinary. Neither tall nor short, fat nor skinny, pretty nor ugly. I was simply unremarkable in every way... unless today you counted the fact that my eyes were still red and swollen and I was more pale than usual.<br /> <br /> At precisely 7:00 am there was a sharp knock on my door. I opened it, expecting to see my father, but instead it was his gamma, Pedro. "Miss Nina, your father said I am to drive you to the Gold Mountain pack. Are you ready?"<br /> It was a two hour drive from our small pack to the much larger Gold Mountain Pack territory. But you know when you DON'T want to arrive somewhere, it seems like the journey goes in the blink of an eye. If I were looking forward to this meeting, the two hours would have seemed forever. As it was, Pedro drove silently. My father's third had always been open and friendly with me, so I wondered if my father had given him orders not to talk to me. That hurt. Hurt on top of hurt seemed to be the order of the day. And I was hungry. I never went down for dinner the night before, and I had been rushed out of the house before I had a chance to eat breakfast this morning. With every grumble of my empty stomach, my mood was growing a little darker.<br /> <br /> I'd never been into Gold Mountain Territory. I'd only heard stories of the notorious pack. They were big, and strong, and brutal. Their warriors were considered the best, the elite, and reportedly trained relentlessly. They had no mercy on their enemies, and had reportedly wiped out entire packs who had betrayed them in one way or another. But I always took these kinds of stories with a grain of salt. Every pack wanted to be known as the biggest and the baddest, and stories tended to be exaggerated to bolster that reputation. My impression as we crossed the boundary and entered into their pack grounds was of absolutely beautiful, wild looking gardens, and a huge manor that would have fit our pack house inside it four times. It was T shaped and sprawled out into three wings, a beautiful structure built from native stone, with big windows framed by black shutters. It was fronted by a huge veranda and two big ornate doors that opened into the main hall.<br /> <br /> Pedro parked the SUV, and for the first time in the whole trip, Pedro turned and spoke to me. He laid his big, rough hand on mine in my lap. "Stay strong, Miss Nina. You can do this." That is all he said. He climbed out, and came around to open my door, as if I were someone important. He pulled my suitcases out of the boot, and then he escorted me up to the veranda, where a handful of people were waiting for me.<br /> <br /> There was a huge man, and I mean HUGE, who seemed to be about my father's age. He should have been nearly seven feet tall, with arms like tree trunks. His ruddy face was framed by two overgrown sideburns and a crazy mop of hair that reminded me of the Wolverine from the X-men comics. His eyes were a piercing pale blue, and quite cold as they watched me approach. Beside him, in sharp contrast, was a dainty little sprite of a woman. She barely cleared five foot, and was so petite it seemed like a strong wind might blow her away. She had long, curling blond hair, and beautiful green eyes, and a wide, friendly smile. I was so happy to see at least one smiling face, it eased my tension a bit. The other people stood back a bit from this couple, and seemed to be lower ranking pack members. They stared at me curiously.<br /> <br /> I concentrated really hard on controlling my uneven gate. I did not want these people to see me limping, and if I worked really hard, I could pull it off, but it took a lot of effort, and I had to move slowly. Under the circumstances, I thought it would seem appropriate that I approached a strange pack and strange people with slow caution. The pretty woman danced down the steps, and folded me into a warm and unexpected hvg. "Welcome to Gold Mountain, dear. I am Caydence, and my husband, Bernhard." She gestured to the lumberjack-giant who still stood on the steps. She didn't refer to herself as Luna, or her husband as Alpha, but it was obvious enough that they were the leaders. I looked around and wondered where the son was, the Nolan I was supposed to marry.<br /> <br /> As if sensing my inquiry, the Luna shook her golden curls. "My sons are not here at the moment, but you will meet them soon. Come, lets get you inside and get you settled." She looped her arm through mine, and with one last, helpless glance at Pedro, I let her drag me inside. The great pack house was as beautiful on the inside as it was on the outside, tastefully decorated and thoroughly modern. She lead me through a maze of rooms and corridors in a sort of whirlwind tour. "The conference room is there, and that is the entertainment room... and oh, that's the nursery for the pups... there is a guest bathroom here, and the kitchen is this way. Have you eaten?" She didn't even wait for me to answer, "I'm starving, lets go get some breakfast." She lead me into a huge dining hall, that easily could have seated a hundred people. She pulled me toward a table for two, and no sooner had our backside's hit the seat of the chairs than a uniformed waitress appeared. I recognized her as an omega, by her submissive posture.<br /> <br /> "Kelly dear, this is Nina Boyton, Nolan's betrothed." The waitress peaked up at me in surprise, then quickly looked back down at her order pad. "Nina, this is Kelly, one of our regular kitchen staff. So, what will you have?" Before I could answer, she was putting in her order. "I'll have a four-egg omelette, with Swiss cheese and mushrooms, a blueberry muffin, toasted with butter, and four sausage links."<br /> <br /> I blinked in surprise. How could such a tiny woman put away so much food?? Luna Caydence looked at me expectantly. "Um...I'll also have a muffin, and a cup of tea, please."<br /> <br /> When the waitress had scampered away, Luna Caydence reached across the table and placed her hand over mine. "I'm sure this is a very difficult and uncomfortable transition for you, my dear. But I want you to know that I am here for you, you are most welcome in this family, and I will do everything in my power to make you comfortable. But Nolan..."<br /> <br /> I swallowed... there was something ominous about that. But Nolan what? I was too afraid to ask.<br /> <br /> "Nolan can be... difficult." She said vaguely. "His father and I, we hope that he will settle down now, and take up his responsibilities."<br /> <br /> I frowned and fiddled with the silverware. Difficult? What did difficult mean? I wanted to ask more... I wanted to know more about what this future husband of mine was like. But I couldn't find the words, and I had a feeling that Caydence was done talking about her son. She had moved on, saying how happy she was to have a woman in the family, that she had heard so many nice things about me... well I was sure that was a bunch of baloney. I bet she knew absolutely nothing about me, beyond my name and my marriagablility. Still, I liked Caydence, I appreciated her friendliness. I tried to hide my smile as an enormous platter of food was set before the tiny woman, and she dug into her eggs with gusto. I was feeling very hungry, and probably could have put away nearly as much food, but I didn't want to seem like a glutton, so I tried to nible at my muffin and act lady-like.<br /> <br /> After we finished, (and yes, she finished everything on her plate,) she lead me up the stairs. I swallowed down my horror as I looked at the flights of elegantly curving staircase that I would have to traverse to get to my guest room on the third floor. Navigating stairs were very difficult for my heavy, clumsy legs, and it made them ache something fierce. Was it too much to hope that somewhere in this gigantic house there was a service elevator? Desperately trying to hide my pain and discomfort, I grasped the hand rail, and pulled myself up the stairs behind the spritely woman as fast as I could without falling flat on my face. When we got to the third floor, she looked back at me, struggling up the last few steps, and frowned, but said nothing. She lead me down a long hall, and opened the door to a beautiful guest suite, with a big bed, and a private en-suite bathroom. My suitcases had already been deposited inside. "Make yourself comfortable my dear. I'll send Daisy to you when she's done cleaning up from breakfast. If there is anything you need, she can be of assistance. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some business to attend to.." And just like that, she left me alone in the beautiful room, in the big, strange house.<br /> <br /> Daisy was a delightful young Omega who was assigned to be my maid. Not that I really needed a maid, mind you, but I was happy to have her as a companion. Her name suited her perfectly, because like the wild-flower, she was bright, cheerful, and sunny. Her smile was too wide for her little face, her nose turned up, and her dark blond hair was an uncontrollable riot of curls. Her blue eyes danced with good humor, and she just seemed like the kind of person that was genuinely happy right down to the core of her being. I loved her right away. She helped me unpack my few things, and then we sat together on the bed and we talked for a few minutes.<br /> <br /> "What is life like in the pack?" I asked her.<br /> <br /> She smiled (I don't think I'd seen her NOT smile, ever) "Oh its a good life," She said sincerely. "The Alpha runs a tight ship, we work hard, we train hard, but its a very fair pack, and we have a lot of fun too. We can't wait for your marriage celebration. I hear the Luna is planning a big party, and the whole pack will be invited. I love parties! Even if I have to work in the kitchen, we are allowed to take shifts so we all get to have a turn taking part in the festivities."<br /> <br /> I smiled. I already liked the way the Luna ran her household. In some packs, omegas were treated like slaves. I think at home we treated them fairly. They were paid wages for the work they did, but Daddy didn't exactly go out of his way to make them feel like they were valued members of our family. They were definitely looked down upon, and that had never really sat well with me. Not every member of the pack could be a warrior, and the omega's performed really valuable services by taking care of the children and providing domestic services that the hunters simply didn't have time for.<br /> <br /> "And what what about Nolan. What is he like?"<br /> <br /> For the first time, Daisy's perpetual smile faltered. She pasted it back on, but it wasn't quite as real as it had been before. "Oh he's very handsome." She said. "He's so tall, like the Alpha, but not so burly."<br /> <br /> "Okay, he's nice to look at, but what is he LIKE? What is his personality like."<br /> <br /> Daisy pushed herself off the bed. "I think its better if you get to know him for yourself, mistress. I don't want your impressions of him to be influenced by my opinions. I need to go see about preparing the food. If you need anything just call me." And she slipped away, quietly shutting the door behind her.<br /> <br /> Oh boy. I stared at my hands, at the short trimmed nails that hadn't seen a polish since my thirteenth birthday. All the things that Daisy HADN'T said spoke more loudly than the words she DID say. If Nolan was truly a great guy, she would have been eager to extol his virtues, right? She would have said, "He's really kind. He's really gentle. He's really just." But she didn't say anything. I suppose it was commendable that she chose silence over lies, but I was growing increasingly uneasy. The Luna called him "difficult", and my new friend wouldn't call him anything, except handsome. But it wouldn't matter if he was the most handsome man in the world if he was a complete as hole.<br /> <br /> I felt a little nervous going down to dinner, knowing that I would meet my husband-to-be. I tried to pick out a pretty outfit, without being overtly over dressed. I brushed out my hair and left it loose, as the long chocolate colored waves were maybe one of my best assets. I even tried to put on a little make up, just to add some definition to my eyes. I sighed at my reflection, dissatisfied but knowing that it was the best I could do. I grimaced at the prospect of going down all those stairs, and reminded myself that I needed to ask Daisy if there was a service elevator in the house. The way how it was all decked out with modern appliances, it seemed like it must have a lift hidden somewhere. But then again, they probably hadn't figured in the possibility of a disabled werewolf when they designed the manor.<br /> <br /> I can't describe to you what an ordeal it is for me to navigate a set of stairs. I have to creep down one step at a time. Left foot down, right foot down onto the same stair. And then repeat. If I try to march down the steps like a normal person, alternating feet on alternating stairs, one of my legs is sure to collapse, and I'll take an ugly tumble down. Ask me how I know... I'm embarrassed to say its happened more times than I can count. So I have to go down the stairs like a little kid, clinging to the rail, one step at a time, praying that no one is watching me. Luckily I seem to be the only guest on the third floor at the moment, and I'm nearly at the bottom before I start seeing other people scurrying around in preparation for dinner.<br /> <br /> Daisy came around the corner, her face split in a smile, and her eyes lighting up as she saw me, "Ah there you are mistress! Luna had just sent me to go fetch you. The meal is nearly ready. You look very nice, I love that top." She bubbled cheerfully, and took my elbow to guide me back toward the dining room. Unlike this morning, when the room had been empty, this evening it was crammed full. I swallowed nervously and did my best to straighten my spine and walk normally. From every table, heads turned and looked at me, and people whispered, and I felt the blood rush to my face. I'm not normally shy, but I can't say that I really like being the center of attention either.<br /> <br /> "Nina darling, over here!" The Luna stood, and gestured to an empty seat at what appeared to be the Alpha's table. Daisy patted me on the shoulder and went back to the kitchen, while I made my way to the Luna. I reminded myself that from now on, this was my family, and these were my people. I sat in the empty seat, and looked around, but I still didn't see anyone "tall and handsome" that should be Nolan. There was a slim and slight black man sitting opposite the Alpha, and next to the black man, a pretty and slightly plump white woman. "Our Beta, Floyd, and his wife, Moira." the Luna made the introductions. The beta gave me a look. It was not a nice look. Somehow I imagined it was the look a spectator would give a condemned prisoner. His wife Moira gave me a small, friendly smile, and offered her hand. "Welcome to the family, dear." she said. She had a beautiful, lilting voice.<br /> <br /> The waitstaff started going around the room serving the food. "Its Italian night," the Luna explained, as bowls of salads, plates of meat and cheese lasagna, and carving boards of hot sourdough bread where arranged at each table. The food smelled delicious, and the Luna did not hesitate to compliment the kitchen staff on their excellent work. "Oh Berta, please come and meet Nina Boyton. Nina, this is Berta, she is the manager of our kitchen, an absolute genius with food and hospitality." Berta flushed happily and bobbed in a curtsy.<br /> <br /> "Thank you, Luna. Nice to meet you Mistress. Welcome. If you'll excuse me, the dessert..." and she hurried off again.<br /> <br /> There was the quiet and content murmur of a room full of people where were eating and enjoying casual conversations... when the door suddenly slammed open, and all conversation ground to an abrupt halt. Into the now silent hall, two young men entered... and I immediately felt a strange and dizzy sensation over take me. I held my head at the temples and peaked through my hands at what must surely be Nolan... and his brother William. Daisy was right. He was handsome. He looked like some Roman god, with his shoulders squared, his jaw set, his hair flowing around his shoulders, a little rough stubble on his finely carved jawline. He was all muscle. But his eyes... oh his eyes... even from across the room I could see the unique blue-grey color of his irises, and they were cold. Ice cold and furious. And somehow I just knew that that fury was directed at me. I felt the childish urge to slide down in my chair and hide under the table.<br /> <br /> At the same time, I was bombarded by the sweetest and most intoxicating aroma... of what? Was that his aftershave? A cologne? He didn't look like the kind of man who would douse himself in cologne, but he smelled really, really good. Like fragrant cedar and something sweet and musky. While I was on one hand tempted to hide from those cold, angry eyes... on the other hand I had the insane urge to run to him, to bury my head in his neck, and inhale that sweet, attractive smell. His mouth pressed into a flat, hard line... which totally ruined the effect of his full, sensual lips, as he stalked over to the family table.<br /> Belatedly, I noted his brother. Both the Luna and Daisy and mentioned that there was a younger brother, William. William seemed to favor his mother's genetics. He was not as big or as intimidating as Nolan, His blond hair was neatly trimmed, and he had a more willowy, graceful figure. His eyes were very blue, and very amused. As much as his brother had eyed me with hatred, I had the distinct feeling that this one was laughing at me, and I didn't like it. If there is one thing I can not tolerate, its being laughed at.<br /> <br /> I didn't worry about the younger brother for long, because the closer Nolan stalked, the stranger I began to feel. I felt like I couldn't get enough oxygen in my body, and I wondered if I might actually pass out. I'm not one of those weak, fainting girls. I've never passed out in my life. But at that moment I was seeing funny little black spots around the edge of my vision, and I was awfully dizzy.<br /> <br /> "Nolan," Luna spoke, a sharp edge of disapproval in her voice, "Its nice of you to join us. I want you to meet Nina..." Nolan jrked out a chair, and instead of offering me a hand, or a greeting or a good old-fashioned "nice to meet you," he growled at me.<br /> <br /> He growled at me, and my inner wolf whimpered. Mate. She whispered.<br /> <br /> No. Oh no no no. This cold eyed, impolite Neanderthal of a man could not be our mate. My mind fought it even as my body responded to that pheromone he was pumping out. I looked him in the eye and I saw that he knew it too. And he had absolutely no intention of acknowledging it. He must have a thing of a lot of self control to be able to shrug off the mate bond, and slather butter on a piece of bread like nothing else mattered.<br /> <br /> He hates us. He doesn't want us.<br /> <br /> I picked up my fork and tried to push my sluggish mind into some coherent thought. What were the odds that I get thrown into an arranged marriage, and the husband forced on me is actually my mate? Like one in a billion, right? But then what are the odds that I finally meet my mate, and he hates me? He hasn't said the words, but I can feel the aura of rejection wafting off of him almost as surely as I can smell his cedar-scent. How utterly cruel and unfair was that? Its like the universe having some great cosmic laugh at my expense. Well, what am I going to do? I'm not going to cry in front of all these people. Most importantly, I'm not going to cry in front of that insufferable man. I pushed my shoulders back, I shut off my whimpering wolf, I lifted my chin, and I looked him straight in the eye, as I took a bite of the lasagna. I'm sure it was as delicious as it smelled, but in that moment it tasted like dirt in my mouth. But I'd be doomed if I let that man know that I had lost my appetite over him. I chewed and swallowed, and washed it down with a swig of water.<br /> <br /> He met my eyes briefly, and then he turned to his brother and completely ignored me.<br /> <br /> His brother however, at least had the decent manners to greet me, and to welcome me to the pack. His keen blue eyes traveled back and forth between his older brother, then across the table to me, and back again. Then he shrugged and dug into his food. He made polite conversation with his mother, and sometimes he included me. "How are you finding it here, Nina? Is your room comfortable? Do you need anything?"<br /> <br /> "Oh yes, everything is great." I said, forcing more enthusiasm into my voice than I actually felt. Oh yes, everything is peachy. I've just been yanked out of my childhood home for the sake of some cute treaty. Yes, your home is very nice, and most of the people have been very friendly, but the man I'm supposed to marry is a total bad idea. Everything is great. I forced myself to eat mechanically, and made it through half the lasagna on my plate before I gave up and sat back in my chair. I stared at Nolan. He looks like Jason Mamoa I thought. Without the beard and with better hair. I wonder if he had any tattoos hiding under his clothes. My sisters would be jealous... until they realized that he's an absolute tool.<br /> <br /> Dinner plates were cleared away, and I was eager to excuse myself, but before I could push away from the table, a decadent dessert of tiramisu was brought out. I was no longer hungry. Even the prospect of sugar wasn't appealing at the moment, but I was painfully aware that I was new, I was a guest, and I needed to behave accordingly. I took a couple of bites, and really wished I had the appetite to enjoy the dessert, but I was far too aware of the man across the table. It annoyed me that he was completely unaffected. He shoveled in his food, carried on conversation, and acted like I wasn't even there. When our eyes did meet, I was met with icy, angry daggers and some silent warning that I didn't really understand.<br /> <br /> Finally, when I saw a few other people excusing themselves around the room, I saw my opportunity to escape. "Luna, thank you for a lovely meal," I said politely. "Please excuse me," I pushed back my chair, said goodnight to the rest of the table, and did my best to make a dignified exit, but it was getting harder and harder to walk normally and my stress and my exhaustion seemed to be compounding on me. But the absolute last thing I wanted at that moment was for that arrogant bad guy to see that I had a fatal flaw. He already hated me for no reason, how much more would he despise me for my weakness?<br /> <br /> I had just barely exited the room, when I felt an iron grip bite painfully into my arm, and spin me into the wall. If I hadn't had the support of the wall behind me, I would have fallen over myself. I found myself face to face with Nolan. Where his hand bit painfully into my arm, I felt the sparks. Oh Goddess the sparks that everyone made such a big deal over... they were magical, erotic, passionate, blah, blah. Well they probably never felt those sparks when their mate was squeezing out of their arm, and probably leaving bruises in the process. They probably never felt those sparks when their mate was staring down at you like you were a piece of trash they'd like to throw in the compactor. Being sexually attracted to someone who was clearly out to hurt me did not feel magical. It felt sickening.<br /> "Let me make something perfectly clear," he growled. "I do not want you, and I do not need you. You are only here in this house because my father is an old-fashioned pig-headed dummy. I will marry you to fulfill the treaty contract, but you will never be the Luna, and you will never be my mate." As if to punctuate his rejection, he gave me an extra shove against the wall, and then he stalked off in the other direction... and I was left staring after him... my mouth open, my face pale, and my arm aching.<br /> <br /> It wasn't a real rejection, right? I mean if he was formally rejecting me he would have to say the words. "I Nolan Pierceson of the Gold Mountain pack, do hereby reject you Nina..." And then I would reject him back, and the bond would break. But he hadn't said those words, exactly. Still there was a pain in my chest like something was ripping away. It was powerful enough that I had to hold my chest and gasp for breath. A few other people were trailing out of the dining room now, casting curious glances at me, and I knew I had to get upstairs before anyone started asking me questions that I couldn't answer. I was tired now, and I didn't really care who saw me limp as I dragged myself to the stairs and made my slow, painful climb up three flights. "Are you all right madam?" someone asked. I didn't even look at them, just ground out, "I'm fine." and kept climbing. Once I was at my floor, my legs were so bad I could barely walk at all. My left leg dragged, and I used the wall to balance as I made my way down the hall to my own door. Once inside I turned the lock, and fell across the bed.<br /> <br /> "I will not cry." I chanted. "I will not cry." And I didn't. Nolan Pierceson, I wasn't going to shed a tear for him, nor was I going to wallow in self-pity. He didn't want me? Well I didn't want his arrogant bottom either. My body wasn't strong, but when I set my mind to something, I had an iron will. And I had firmly set my mind against Nolan, and the mating bond. I would play nice until the new moon. When the marriage ceremony was completed, and all the pack alliances signed and sealed, I would reject him myself. And then what? What do you do with the rest of your life?<br /> <br /> Well, I would worry about the rest of my life another day. For today I settled for hot bath. I soaked my aching legs, and scrubbed the make-up off my face. I tried to dismiss Nolan from my thoughts, but I couldn't help but wonder what had made him hate me so much, right from the start. Was it me? Or was it the forced marriage? I mean, I know I'm not much to look at, and I've got a disability, but I don't think he even realized that yet. I hadn't even had enough time to truly piss him off yet. So what was it that had him in such a yank?<br /> <br /> I sighed and pulled the plug out of the tub, letting the water drain down. Men were like aliens. Who could understand them anyway? And who would want to? I slipped into my pajamas and crawled into the bed, totally overwhelmed with everything my brain had had to process in just one day.<br /> <br /> I awoke to a knock on my door. I was pretty sure I had locked it the night before, but still the handle turned and the door opened. I was expecting Daisy's smiling face, but instead it was William. "Hey," he smiled at me, and it seemed like a genuine smile this time. "Mama wanted me to come call you down for breakfast."<br /> <br /> "Oh," I said sleepily, propping myself up on my elbows. "I guess I overslept. Give me a few minutes to get ready"<br /> <br /> "Okay." Instead of leaving, he sprawled himself in the corner seat by the window and waited. I glared at him and wondered if it was entirely appropriate for your future brother-in-law to be making himself comfortable in your bedroom when you aren't even dressed. I thought about demanding he leave, but then changed my mind. Who cared if he saw me in my nightgown? It wasn't like I was indecent. And it wasn't like I owed his brother any kind of fidelity. I flipped back the covers and hauled my heavy body out of bed. I knew his keen eyes were seeing everything. He saw how I limped to the bathroom, and for once, I didn't care. Let him see. Let him see every god thing and report it back to his brother. I slammed the door to the bathroom just to punctuate my own cranky thoughts.<br /> <br /> I turned on the water to brush my teeth and wash my face, but I heard his voice over the faucet. "So that was pretty intense last night." He was commenting. I heard the door to my closet open. What, was he going through my things? "I've never seen anyone stare down my brother before." There was the definite sound of a drawer opening and closing. "This is going to be a very, very interesting marriage."<br /> <br /> I spit out my tooth paste, and yanked the door open to find that he had set out a set of clothes for me, along with clean underwear and a bra. "What are you doing in my clothes?"<br /> <br /> "No worries, just hurrying along. You have nothing to fear from me, peanut. You aren't my type."<br /> <br /> I narrowed my eyes, "And what exactly IS your type?"<br /> <br /> William sighed. "Tall, dark and handsome." I stared at him, not quite comprehending. "Men, Nina. I'm gay."<br /> <br /> "Oh." Was all I could say. Well, I suppose that probably explained his excellent fashion sense. I scooped up the clothes off the bed and retreated back into the bathroom to change. He continued to talk to me through the closed door. "Nolan didn't want to get married. Dad told him if he didn't get married, he would pass the Alpha title to his beta."<br /> <br /> "Why his beta?" I poked my head out of the bathroom again. "Why not to you?"<br /> <br /> William laughed, "Sweetheart, my dad seriously struggles with my sexual orientation. Mostly he just tries to ignore it. And besides, I don't want it. I don't have the constitution of an Alpha." I wondered exactly what that meant, but he didn't elaborate, and I didn't feel it was polite to ask. I did think it was pretty that his father would pass him up as Alpha because of his sexuality. The fact that William was kind of the black sheep of the family made me like him a little more.<br /> <br /> "So? I didn't want to get married either. Its not like it was my idea. What's he got against me?"<br /> <br /> "Nolan is always angry, don't take it personally. You just do you, and let him growl and snarl and spit all he wants. I'm sure he'll get over it eventually."<br /> <br /> "Right." He'll get over it eventually. That sounded so promising, I thought sarcastically. I dragged a brush through my tangled hair and sighed. "Okay, ready. Let's go."<br /> <br /> He held open the door for me, and I hobbled through. He held out his elbow like a gentleman, which was weird, but nice, and I took advantage of it. I waited for him to say something about my limp. But he didn't. I expected him to take me down the stairs, but instead he turned down a different corridor. "Um, where are we going?"<br /> <br /> "There is an elevator at the end of the wing. Its private, for the Alphas to access the 4th floor. But you are marrying the future alpha, so I think you are permitted to use it." At that moment I could have touched him. He produced a key from his pocket and handed it to me. "This is my key, but you can use it until you get your own. I can always take the stairs." You had to insert the key and turn it to call the elevator. Once the doors slid open, you removed the key and selected your floor. I breathed a sigh of relief as the elevator carried us down to the ground floor. It opened into an unfamiliar area behind the kitchens, but William led me through the maze of halls back to the dining room.<br /> <br /> "Ah there you are!" Luna Caydence called from the table.<br /> <br /> "I'm sorry Luna, I overslept."<br /> <br /> "Think nothing of it dear, but I wanted to go over some details of the wedding ceremony with you."<br /> <br /> Well, there went my appetite for breakfast. I didn't want to think about a wedding, let alone plan the details. "Your father sent over a dress," She was saying, and passed me a white box that was getting a little yellowed around the edges. I lifted the cover and felt tears burn behind my eyes.<br /> <br /> "Oh... my mother's dress." I whispered. I touched the delicate silk and lace. That was a strangely thoughtful and sentimental gesture on my father's part. Who forces their daughter into an arranged marriage, and then sends them a precious family heirloom? But it only made me feel more sad and distraught. I had dreamed that one day I would marry my soul mate, the love of my life, and I would wear my mama's dress, which had been HER mama's dress. It seemed wrong to wear such a special garment to a farce of marriage with a man who despised me.<br /> <br /> "Oooh, it was your mother's? How very special! Take it out dear, lets see it!"<br /> <br /> I didn't really want to take it out of the box, but I did. It was a simple and beautiful dress, with a fitted bodice, off-the shoulder sleeves, and a long, full skirt. The bodice was decorated with lace and tiny pearls, and the same lace edged the bottom of the long skirt. I was not as pretty or shapely as my mother, but we were a similar size, and I thought the dress would fit me well enough without needing any alterations. The Luna fawned over the dress. "Its very pretty, so elegent. You will look absolutely beautiful." She said kindly. I swallowed the knot in my throat and carefully folded it back into the box. Mama would have hated all of this. She would never have let this marriage happen, especially if she got a glimpse of the black-and-blue fingerprints that Nolan had left on my arm last night.<br /> <br /> I took a deep breath and set the box aside as breakfast arrived. I sipped my tea and listened as the Luna went over other details. Flowers and seating and ceremonial nuances. I didn't care, but I tried my best to act interested. When she asked me questions, I answered. "What is your favorite flower, dear?"<br /> <br /> "Sunflowers." I said without hesitation.<br /> <br /> "And your favorite color?"<br /> <br /> "Turquoise."<br /> <br /> She went on about bringing a stylist to do my hair and make up, and I swirled a spoon around in my yogurt. Really I just wanted this to be over. William came and sat and occasionally added his two cents to the conversation. The wedding ceremony would be on the back lawn, with seating for private guests only. The gazebo would be decorated out for the occasion. After it was all official, we would move to the pack meeting house, where we would be publicly celebrated, and Nolan would be presented as the new Alpha of the pack, and I would be presented as Luna.<br /> <br /> I choked on my tea. Nolan had said emphatically that I would "never be Luna." But it seemed that his parents had other ideas. What was I supposed to do? "Luna, I don't think--"<br /> <br /> The Luna gave me a hard look. "You are his wife. You will be the Luna. No matter what he says." That made me wonder if Nolan had already taken this argument to his mother. Would I still be the Luna after I rejected him? Would he divorce me once he had all his political ducks in a row? I wanted to bury my head in my hands. I gave William a pleading look, but he only shrugged back at me. So much for having an ally in the house.	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1,952,774	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":1952728}'	No	2024-08-01 19:12	active	1201	903502071570742	🔥🔥 Click to Read 👉🏻👉🏻	The noise was coming from across the hall. The jubilant exclamations. "Oh yes! Oh Alpha!"<br /> <br /> It hit me with a waive of nausea. My husband, my mate... was sleeping someone else in his bedroom across the hall. By the sounds of things, the woman was enjoying it a lot more than I had. I grasped my phone, but there was no use in calling anyone now. I knew the sickness that I had could not be helped by any doctor. There is no cure for the pain of an unfaithful mate. I knew it. And he knew it. He knew exactly what he was doing to me. I curled up on the floor, but there was no way to get any relief. I heard his lover scream in desire, just as the pain became so unbearable that I lost consciousness.<br /> <br /> That is how I woke up. Fell on my bedroom floor, smeared with my own blood. The stabbing pain was over and gone, but the ache of betrayal remained. It didn't matter that he didn't like me and I didn't like him... there was a thing that bonded us together that was beyond our control. My poor wolf was crying , whimpering, traumatized.<br /> <br /> I had just barely exited the room, when I felt an iron grip bite painfully into my arm, and spin me into the wall. I found myself face to face with Nolan.<br /> <br /> "Let me make something perfectly clear," he growled. "I do not want you, and I do not need you. You are only here in this house because my father is an old-fashioned fool. I will marry you to fulfill the treaty contract, but you will never be the Luna, and you will never be my mate." As if to punctuate his rejection, he gave me an extra shove against the wall, and then he stalked off in the other direction... and I was left staring after him... my mouth open, my face pale, and my arm aching.<br /> <br /> It wasn't a real rejection, right? I mean if he was formally rejecting me he would have to say the words. "I Nolan Pierceson of the Gold Mountain pack, do hereby reject you Nina..." And then I would reject him back, and the bond would break. But he hadn't said those words, exactly. Still there was a pain in my chest like something was ripping away. It was powerful enough that I had to hold my chest and gasp for breath. A few other people were trailing out of the dining room now, casting curious glances at me, and I knew I had to get upstairs before anyone started asking me questions that I couldn't answer. I was tired now, and I didn't really care who saw me limp as I dragged myself to the stairs and made my slow, painful climb up three flights. "Are you all right madam?" someone asked. I didn't even look at them, just ground out, "I'm fine." and kept climbing. Once I was at my floor, my legs were so bad I could barely walk at all. My left leg dragged, and I used the wall to balance as I made my way down the hall to my own door. Once inside I turned the lock, and fell across downstairs.<br /> <br /> ...<br /> <br /> I knew it was bad news when Daddy called me into the office to talk. When we want to discuss something nicely as a family, we do it around the dinner table. We don't get called into the office unless we are in trouble. As I followed Beta Phillip through the pack-house, I felt that heavy sense of foreboding weighing me down. I saw a sort of pity in Phillip's face when paused to let me catch up, and glanced back at me. I was already searching my mind, trying to think of what I might have done to get myself in trouble... but I'm really a pretty boring girl. I couldn't think of anything that might have triggered my father so badly that he would call me into the office.<br /> <br /> We came to a stop in front of the heavy oak door. Phillip knocked twice, and my father promptly called, "Enter!" Phillip opened the door, and stood aside for me to precede him into the room. It was so formal, it felt all wrong. And then he closed the door again, shutting me inside with my father. Daddy was hunched at his desk, and he didn't look happy. His handsome face was haggard, and somehow, he looked older today than he had just a few days ago. "Sit down, Nina."<br /> <br /> I limped to one of the leather wing backed chairs that faced his desk. I didn't limp because I had any recent injury, I just had bad legs. I sank gingerly down on the leather, sitting on the very edge, because somehow it didn't feel safe to relax. Daddy wasn't looking at me... he was looking at papers on his desk. He cleared his throat several times, as if he was struggling to find the right words. When he looked up, his face had hardened, and when he spoke, he spoke with his firm Alpha voice. Not his Daddy voice. That made me shrink back further into the chair.<br /> <br /> "Nina, as part of the treaty negotiations with the Gold Mountain Pack, I have agreed to a marriage alliance. You, Nina Boyton, will marry the Alpha's son, Nolan Pierceson on the next new moon."<br /> <br /> I felt like someone had punched me, knocked the air out of me. "What? Daddy! How could you??" I ,whispered in shock. Arranged marriages were an archaic thing of the past. Nobody did that any more, did they?<br /> <br /> Daddy looked pained. "I did it for the sake of our pack, Nina. We are a small pack, and since your mother..." he couldn't quite bring himself to say the word "died"..."We are weak and vulnerable. We need the protection of a larger, stronger pack. This political alliance will ensure our safety and our survival."<br /> <br /> I felt so many emotions whipping through me, I couldn't grab a hold of them. "But... why me?" I had two sisters, one older, and one younger. Janice was smart and strong, one of our best warriors. And the younger, Hannah was the beautiful one. None of us had found our mates, we were all single and available. I was almost sure if the Alpha of Gold Mountain had ever seen the three of us, he would have picked one of them. Not me. I am the most ordinary, non-descript, and insignificant of the Alpha's daughters. And then it hit me like a slap in the face. Without my father answering me, I knew why he had sacrificed me. I'm the weak one. I'm the expendable one. I'm the one with the "bad legs".<br /> <br /> "Its not what you think, Nina." My father said quietly. "It has nothing to do with your... condition." He never knew quite how to refer to my inexplicably weak legs. The pack doctors hadn't been able to diagnose the problem, even the human doctors had shrugged me off after a battery of inconclusive tests. I waited for him to explain. But my father didn't elaborate further, and that irritated me.<br /> <br /> "Don't I get a say in this? Don't you need my consent before you sell me off "for the sake of the pack"? What if I refuse?"<br /> <br /> My father's face blanched for a moment, and then darkened. "If you refuse, I will disown you, and you will be exiled from the pack."<br /> <br /> His words hit me like a slap in the face. My own father would throw me out of the family and out of the pack and make me go rogue? Who was this man, behind the desk? Surely this wasn't my Daddy. He wouldn't have done this to me. I felt a hot tear run down my cheek, and I could only think, if Mama had been alive, she never, ever would have allowed him to do this to me. For a few moments I seriously considered the option of refusing and being exiled. I didn't really stand a chance, as a lone she-wolf without a pack. I wasn't physically strong enough, but more importantly... I couldn't stand the idea of being forever separated from the family that I loved. Daddy was doing something terrible at that moment, that broke my heart. His responsibilities as Alpha had to come first... even if it meant sacrificing his own daughter. Although everything inside me was raging against it, I had to obey his order. Not only for him, but for the pack that I loved.<br /> <br /> My shoulders slumped forward in defeat. I could no longer meet his eye, and stared down at my toes instead. I couldn't find the words to speak, so I simply nodded. I didn't see his face, but I could hear the relief in his voice. I wonder if he'd secretly been worried that I would actually choose exile over a forced marriage. But when he spoke, it was the heartless, stern, Alpha voice again. "You will pack up your things. You will leave tomorrow in the morning."<br /> <br /> My head jrked up. "So soon? But you said, on the new moon?"<br /> <br /> "I said the marriage would take place on the new moon. The alpha has requested you to come immediately. Gretta will come and help you pack." He shuffled the papers on his desk, as if they were suddenly more important than his daughter. "You are dismissed."<br /> <br /> Dismissed? I don't ever remember my father speaking to me like that... like I was some underling to order about. I made my way back to my room in a stupor, passing pack members in the hall but not really seeing anyone, or hearing their greetings. I shut the door in my room and managed to lean back against it before the strength left my legs and I sank to the floor. Being forced to marry a stranger was bad enough, but it had deeper, more far reaching implications. I would be forever tied to a man I didn't love, and I would never get to experience the joy and completion of finding my mate. That's what every wolf longed for, as soon as they came of age. To find your goddess-given soul mate, the magical person who would complete you and make you whole. All happiness and satisfaction was tied up in that one, fated person. And I would be denied it, forever. Great big tears of self pity rolled down my cheeks as I absorbed the unfairness of it all.<br /> <br /> After awhile a knock came at the door, and Gretta, a sweet little omega who worked in the pack house poked her head in. "I was told to come assist you, Miss Nina." I sighed and hauled myself to my feet. I might as well resign myself to my miserable fate.<br /> <br /> "I need to pack," I said dully. "I'm leaving in the morning."<br /> <br /> "Oh, of course." She was too submissive to dare to ask where or why. I wondered if my sisters knew already, or if they were being kept in the dark too. I wasn't sure I could face them right now. I pulled two suitcases out of my closet that I had only used once when mother took us on a trip to Mexico. "What exactly do you want to pack?"<br /> <br /> I sighed and pulled open my drawers. "Just the absolute essentials Gretta," I said, pulling out my favorite clothes and throwing them on the bed. I was a no-nonsense kind of girl when it came to fashion. I preferred comfort over style, and I didn't own many nice or fancy things. I pulled a couple of nice dresses out of the closet and tossed them on the pile, for formal occasions. I wondered idly if there would be a real wedding dress for this farce of a marriage, or if we were just going to stand before the officiant in our street clothes while it was made legal.<br /> <br /> I looked around my room, trying to gauge what other things I needed to take. I slipped my mother's delicate porcelain jewelry box into the bag, wrapped carefully in one of my sweatshirts. There was the picture of my sisters and I, taken several years ago, our arms looped around each other, smiling happily at the camera. There was my leather bound journal, and my laptop. Other things seemed too childish to take to your marriage home... like the old, worn stuffed bear that had graced my pillow since I was six years old. But I did finally take the fuzzy lap-blanket, printed with cheerful sunflowers and butterflies, and tuck it in the top of my bag. After adding in the practical toiletries and other necessities, I sighed and declared the work finished. I felt a little sad that the entire of my 19 years of life could so easily be condensed into two suitcases, and another fat tear rolled down my cheek.<br /> <br /> I'd never felt so worthless and unloved in all my life. But now I had to face the facts. My own father considered me expendable. The Gold Mountain pack had demanded a bride, and I had been, quite literally, thrown to the wolves. A part of me wanted to call my sisters, to cry to them, to tell them how scared and worried I was about this great unknown responsibility that had just fallen on me... but I couldn't. I suppose I resented them. They would go on with their normal, happy lives after I left. My fate didn't matter much to them, in the grand scheme of things. Their sympathy at this point would only make me feel worse.<br /> <br /> I thanked Gretta for her help, and quietly closed the door behind her. My suitcases were standing neatly by the door. I grabbed my old, well loved teddy bear and curled up on the bed, and tried to shut my mind to all the hurt and all the worries that were eating at me. My mother would have said, "Chin up, sweetheart. Face the world head-on." Thinking of my sweet mother only made me cry harder, until I fell into an exhausted sleep.<br /> I awoke to a timid knock on the door. Dawn was barely breaking outside my window, and I was still sprawled across my bed in yesterday's clothes. My eyes felt puffy and gritty from crying. I had never eaten dinner, and my stomach was complaining. "Miss Nina?" Gretta called timidly. "The Beta says you should be prepared to leave in one hour."<br /> <br /> One hour. Jeezus, they weren't wasting any time in shipping me out of here. I dragged myself to the shower. The pain and weakness in my legs was always the worst first thing in the morning. I braced myself against the sink while I stripped down, and turned the shower on as hot as it could possibly go. I scrubbed and scrubbed at my skin as if I could wash away whatever fault, whatever weakness had made my father choose me. When my skin was pink and irritated, I washed my long, dark hair, and stepped out in a billow of herbal scented steam. What were you supposed to wear when you were being traded off to another pack? I felt like I should wear something black and ugly. After all, I was mourning the loss of my life, my hope, my freedom. But I decided against the funeral garb, and opted for a sun dress that was pretty, but casual. The bright turquoise color went well with my dark honey skin, and made my eyes look more gold than brown. I pulled my hair up into a lose bun, and fastened my favorite turquoise beaded choker around my neck, with the dainty, matching earrings. I stared at my reflection critically in the mirror. No matter how flattering the clothes, or pretty the jewelry, the young woman staring back at me was still just... me. The epitome of ordinary. Neither tall nor short, fat nor skinny, pretty nor ugly. I was simply unremarkable in every way... unless today you counted the fact that my eyes were still red and swollen and I was more pale than usual.<br /> <br /> At precisely 7:00 am there was a sharp knock on my door. I opened it, expecting to see my father, but instead it was his gamma, Pedro. "Miss Nina, your father said I am to drive you to the Gold Mountain pack. Are you ready?"<br /> It was a two hour drive from our small pack to the much larger Gold Mountain Pack territory. But you know when you DON'T want to arrive somewhere, it seems like the journey goes in the blink of an eye. If I were looking forward to this meeting, the two hours would have seemed forever. As it was, Pedro drove silently. My father's third had always been open and friendly with me, so I wondered if my father had given him orders not to talk to me. That hurt. Hurt on top of hurt seemed to be the order of the day. And I was hungry. I never went down for dinner the night before, and I had been rushed out of the house before I had a chance to eat breakfast this morning. With every grumble of my empty stomach, my mood was growing a little darker.<br /> <br /> I'd never been into Gold Mountain Territory. I'd only heard stories of the notorious pack. They were big, and strong, and brutal. Their warriors were considered the best, the elite, and reportedly trained relentlessly. They had no mercy on their enemies, and had reportedly wiped out entire packs who had betrayed them in one way or another. But I always took these kinds of stories with a grain of salt. Every pack wanted to be known as the biggest and the baddest, and stories tended to be exaggerated to bolster that reputation. My impression as we crossed the boundary and entered into their pack grounds was of absolutely beautiful, wild looking gardens, and a huge manor that would have fit our pack house inside it four times. It was T shaped and sprawled out into three wings, a beautiful structure built from native stone, with big windows framed by black shutters. It was fronted by a huge veranda and two big ornate doors that opened into the main hall.<br /> <br /> Pedro parked the SUV, and for the first time in the whole trip, Pedro turned and spoke to me. He laid his big, rough hand on mine in my lap. "Stay strong, Miss Nina. You can do this." That is all he said. He climbed out, and came around to open my door, as if I were someone important. He pulled my suitcases out of the boot, and then he escorted me up to the veranda, where a handful of people were waiting for me.<br /> <br /> There was a huge man, and I mean HUGE, who seemed to be about my father's age. He should have been nearly seven feet tall, with arms like tree trunks. His ruddy face was framed by two overgrown sideburns and a crazy mop of hair that reminded me of the Wolverine from the X-men comics. His eyes were a piercing pale blue, and quite cold as they watched me approach. Beside him, in sharp contrast, was a dainty little sprite of a woman. She barely cleared five foot, and was so petite it seemed like a strong wind might blow her away. She had long, curling blond hair, and beautiful green eyes, and a wide, friendly smile. I was so happy to see at least one smiling face, it eased my tension a bit. The other people stood back a bit from this couple, and seemed to be lower ranking pack members. They stared at me curiously.<br /> <br /> I concentrated really hard on controlling my uneven gate. I did not want these people to see me limping, and if I worked really hard, I could pull it off, but it took a lot of effort, and I had to move slowly. Under the circumstances, I thought it would seem appropriate that I approached a strange pack and strange people with slow caution. The pretty woman danced down the steps, and folded me into a warm and unexpected hvg. "Welcome to Gold Mountain, dear. I am Caydence, and my husband, Bernhard." She gestured to the lumberjack-giant who still stood on the steps. She didn't refer to herself as Luna, or her husband as Alpha, but it was obvious enough that they were the leaders. I looked around and wondered where the son was, the Nolan I was supposed to marry.<br /> <br /> As if sensing my inquiry, the Luna shook her golden curls. "My sons are not here at the moment, but you will meet them soon. Come, lets get you inside and get you settled." She looped her arm through mine, and with one last, helpless glance at Pedro, I let her drag me inside. The great pack house was as beautiful on the inside as it was on the outside, tastefully decorated and thoroughly modern. She lead me through a maze of rooms and corridors in a sort of whirlwind tour. "The conference room is there, and that is the entertainment room... and oh, that's the nursery for the pups... there is a guest bathroom here, and the kitchen is this way. Have you eaten?" She didn't even wait for me to answer, "I'm starving, lets go get some breakfast." She lead me into a huge dining hall, that easily could have seated a hundred people. She pulled me toward a table for two, and no sooner had our backside's hit the seat of the chairs than a uniformed waitress appeared. I recognized her as an omega, by her submissive posture.<br /> <br /> "Kelly dear, this is Nina Boyton, Nolan's betrothed." The waitress peaked up at me in surprise, then quickly looked back down at her order pad. "Nina, this is Kelly, one of our regular kitchen staff. So, what will you have?" Before I could answer, she was putting in her order. "I'll have a four-egg omelette, with Swiss cheese and mushrooms, a blueberry muffin, toasted with butter, and four sausage links."<br /> <br /> I blinked in surprise. How could such a tiny woman put away so much food?? Luna Caydence looked at me expectantly. "Um...I'll also have a muffin, and a cup of tea, please."<br /> <br /> When the waitress had scampered away, Luna Caydence reached across the table and placed her hand over mine. "I'm sure this is a very difficult and uncomfortable transition for you, my dear. But I want you to know that I am here for you, you are most welcome in this family, and I will do everything in my power to make you comfortable. But Nolan..."<br /> <br /> I swallowed... there was something ominous about that. But Nolan what? I was too afraid to ask.<br /> <br /> "Nolan can be... difficult." She said vaguely. "His father and I, we hope that he will settle down now, and take up his responsibilities."<br /> <br /> I frowned and fiddled with the silverware. Difficult? What did difficult mean? I wanted to ask more... I wanted to know more about what this future husband of mine was like. But I couldn't find the words, and I had a feeling that Caydence was done talking about her son. She had moved on, saying how happy she was to have a woman in the family, that she had heard so many nice things about me... well I was sure that was a bunch of baloney. I bet she knew absolutely nothing about me, beyond my name and my marriagablility. Still, I liked Caydence, I appreciated her friendliness. I tried to hide my smile as an enormous platter of food was set before the tiny woman, and she dug into her eggs with gusto. I was feeling very hungry, and probably could have put away nearly as much food, but I didn't want to seem like a glutton, so I tried to nible at my muffin and act lady-like.<br /> <br /> After we finished, (and yes, she finished everything on her plate,) she lead me up the stairs. I swallowed down my horror as I looked at the flights of elegantly curving staircase that I would have to traverse to get to my guest room on the third floor. Navigating stairs were very difficult for my heavy, clumsy legs, and it made them ache something fierce. Was it too much to hope that somewhere in this gigantic house there was a service elevator? Desperately trying to hide my pain and discomfort, I grasped the hand rail, and pulled myself up the stairs behind the spritely woman as fast as I could without falling flat on my face. When we got to the third floor, she looked back at me, struggling up the last few steps, and frowned, but said nothing. She lead me down a long hall, and opened the door to a beautiful guest suite, with a big bed, and a private en-suite bathroom. My suitcases had already been deposited inside. "Make yourself comfortable my dear. I'll send Daisy to you when she's done cleaning up from breakfast. If there is anything you need, she can be of assistance. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some business to attend to.." And just like that, she left me alone in the beautiful room, in the big, strange house.<br /> <br /> Daisy was a delightful young Omega who was assigned to be my maid. Not that I really needed a maid, mind you, but I was happy to have her as a companion. Her name suited her perfectly, because like the wild-flower, she was bright, cheerful, and sunny. Her smile was too wide for her little face, her nose turned up, and her dark blond hair was an uncontrollable riot of curls. Her blue eyes danced with good humor, and she just seemed like the kind of person that was genuinely happy right down to the core of her being. I loved her right away. She helped me unpack my few things, and then we sat together on the bed and we talked for a few minutes.<br /> <br /> "What is life like in the pack?" I asked her.<br /> <br /> She smiled (I don't think I'd seen her NOT smile, ever) "Oh its a good life," She said sincerely. "The Alpha runs a tight ship, we work hard, we train hard, but its a very fair pack, and we have a lot of fun too. We can't wait for your marriage celebration. I hear the Luna is planning a big party, and the whole pack will be invited. I love parties! Even if I have to work in the kitchen, we are allowed to take shifts so we all get to have a turn taking part in the festivities."<br /> <br /> I smiled. I already liked the way the Luna ran her household. In some packs, omegas were treated like slaves. I think at home we treated them fairly. They were paid wages for the work they did, but Daddy didn't exactly go out of his way to make them feel like they were valued members of our family. They were definitely looked down upon, and that had never really sat well with me. Not every member of the pack could be a warrior, and the omega's performed really valuable services by taking care of the children and providing domestic services that the hunters simply didn't have time for.<br /> <br /> "And what what about Nolan. What is he like?"<br /> <br /> For the first time, Daisy's perpetual smile faltered. She pasted it back on, but it wasn't quite as real as it had been before. "Oh he's very handsome." She said. "He's so tall, like the Alpha, but not so burly."<br /> <br /> "Okay, he's nice to look at, but what is he LIKE? What is his personality like."<br /> <br /> Daisy pushed herself off the bed. "I think its better if you get to know him for yourself, mistress. I don't want your impressions of him to be influenced by my opinions. I need to go see about preparing the food. If you need anything just call me." And she slipped away, quietly shutting the door behind her.<br /> <br /> Oh boy. I stared at my hands, at the short trimmed nails that hadn't seen a polish since my thirteenth birthday. All the things that Daisy HADN'T said spoke more loudly than the words she DID say. If Nolan was truly a great guy, she would have been eager to extol his virtues, right? She would have said, "He's really kind. He's really gentle. He's really just." But she didn't say anything. I suppose it was commendable that she chose silence over lies, but I was growing increasingly uneasy. The Luna called him "difficult", and my new friend wouldn't call him anything, except handsome. But it wouldn't matter if he was the most handsome man in the world if he was a complete as hole.<br /> <br /> I felt a little nervous going down to dinner, knowing that I would meet my husband-to-be. I tried to pick out a pretty outfit, without being overtly over dressed. I brushed out my hair and left it loose, as the long chocolate colored waves were maybe one of my best assets. I even tried to put on a little make up, just to add some definition to my eyes. I sighed at my reflection, dissatisfied but knowing that it was the best I could do. I grimaced at the prospect of going down all those stairs, and reminded myself that I needed to ask Daisy if there was a service elevator in the house. The way how it was all decked out with modern appliances, it seemed like it must have a lift hidden somewhere. But then again, they probably hadn't figured in the possibility of a disabled werewolf when they designed the manor.<br /> <br /> I can't describe to you what an ordeal it is for me to navigate a set of stairs. I have to creep down one step at a time. Left foot down, right foot down onto the same stair. And then repeat. If I try to march down the steps like a normal person, alternating feet on alternating stairs, one of my legs is sure to collapse, and I'll take an ugly tumble down. Ask me how I know... I'm embarrassed to say its happened more times than I can count. So I have to go down the stairs like a little kid, clinging to the rail, one step at a time, praying that no one is watching me. Luckily I seem to be the only guest on the third floor at the moment, and I'm nearly at the bottom before I start seeing other people scurrying around in preparation for dinner.<br /> <br /> Daisy came around the corner, her face split in a smile, and her eyes lighting up as she saw me, "Ah there you are mistress! Luna had just sent me to go fetch you. The meal is nearly ready. You look very nice, I love that top." She bubbled cheerfully, and took my elbow to guide me back toward the dining room. Unlike this morning, when the room had been empty, this evening it was crammed full. I swallowed nervously and did my best to straighten my spine and walk normally. From every table, heads turned and looked at me, and people whispered, and I felt the blood rush to my face. I'm not normally shy, but I can't say that I really like being the center of attention either.<br /> <br /> "Nina darling, over here!" The Luna stood, and gestured to an empty seat at what appeared to be the Alpha's table. Daisy patted me on the shoulder and went back to the kitchen, while I made my way to the Luna. I reminded myself that from now on, this was my family, and these were my people. I sat in the empty seat, and looked around, but I still didn't see anyone "tall and handsome" that should be Nolan. There was a slim and slight black man sitting opposite the Alpha, and next to the black man, a pretty and slightly plump white woman. "Our Beta, Floyd, and his wife, Moira." the Luna made the introductions. The beta gave me a look. It was not a nice look. Somehow I imagined it was the look a spectator would give a condemned prisoner. His wife Moira gave me a small, friendly smile, and offered her hand. "Welcome to the family, dear." she said. She had a beautiful, lilting voice.<br /> <br /> The waitstaff started going around the room serving the food. "Its Italian night," the Luna explained, as bowls of salads, plates of meat and cheese lasagna, and carving boards of hot sourdough bread where arranged at each table. The food smelled delicious, and the Luna did not hesitate to compliment the kitchen staff on their excellent work. "Oh Berta, please come and meet Nina Boyton. Nina, this is Berta, she is the manager of our kitchen, an absolute genius with food and hospitality." Berta flushed happily and bobbed in a curtsy.<br /> <br /> "Thank you, Luna. Nice to meet you Mistress. Welcome. If you'll excuse me, the dessert..." and she hurried off again.<br /> <br /> There was the quiet and content murmur of a room full of people where were eating and enjoying casual conversations... when the door suddenly slammed open, and all conversation ground to an abrupt halt. Into the now silent hall, two young men entered... and I immediately felt a strange and dizzy sensation over take me. I held my head at the temples and peaked through my hands at what must surely be Nolan... and his brother William. Daisy was right. He was handsome. He looked like some Roman god, with his shoulders squared, his jaw set, his hair flowing around his shoulders, a little rough stubble on his finely carved jawline. He was all muscle. But his eyes... oh his eyes... even from across the room I could see the unique blue-grey color of his irises, and they were cold. Ice cold and furious. And somehow I just knew that that fury was directed at me. I felt the childish urge to slide down in my chair and hide under the table.<br /> <br /> At the same time, I was bombarded by the sweetest and most intoxicating aroma... of what? Was that his aftershave? A cologne? He didn't look like the kind of man who would douse himself in cologne, but he smelled really, really good. Like fragrant cedar and something sweet and musky. While I was on one hand tempted to hide from those cold, angry eyes... on the other hand I had the insane urge to run to him, to bury my head in his neck, and inhale that sweet, attractive smell. His mouth pressed into a flat, hard line... which totally ruined the effect of his full, sensual lips, as he stalked over to the family table.<br /> Belatedly, I noted his brother. Both the Luna and Daisy and mentioned that there was a younger brother, William. William seemed to favor his mother's genetics. He was not as big or as intimidating as Nolan, His blond hair was neatly trimmed, and he had a more willowy, graceful figure. His eyes were very blue, and very amused. As much as his brother had eyed me with hatred, I had the distinct feeling that this one was laughing at me, and I didn't like it. If there is one thing I can not tolerate, its being laughed at.<br /> <br /> I didn't worry about the younger brother for long, because the closer Nolan stalked, the stranger I began to feel. I felt like I couldn't get enough oxygen in my body, and I wondered if I might actually pass out. I'm not one of those weak, fainting girls. I've never passed out in my life. But at that moment I was seeing funny little black spots around the edge of my vision, and I was awfully dizzy.<br /> <br /> "Nolan," Luna spoke, a sharp edge of disapproval in her voice, "Its nice of you to join us. I want you to meet Nina..." Nolan jrked out a chair, and instead of offering me a hand, or a greeting or a good old-fashioned "nice to meet you," he growled at me.<br /> <br /> He growled at me, and my inner wolf whimpered. Mate. She whispered.<br /> <br /> No. Oh no no no. This cold eyed, impolite Neanderthal of a man could not be our mate. My mind fought it even as my body responded to that pheromone he was pumping out. I looked him in the eye and I saw that he knew it too. And he had absolutely no intention of acknowledging it. He must have a thing of a lot of self control to be able to shrug off the mate bond, and slather butter on a piece of bread like nothing else mattered.<br /> <br /> He hates us. He doesn't want us.<br /> <br /> I picked up my fork and tried to push my sluggish mind into some coherent thought. What were the odds that I get thrown into an arranged marriage, and the husband forced on me is actually my mate? Like one in a billion, right? But then what are the odds that I finally meet my mate, and he hates me? He hasn't said the words, but I can feel the aura of rejection wafting off of him almost as surely as I can smell his cedar-scent. How utterly cruel and unfair was that? Its like the universe having some great cosmic laugh at my expense. Well, what am I going to do? I'm not going to cry in front of all these people. Most importantly, I'm not going to cry in front of that insufferable man. I pushed my shoulders back, I shut off my whimpering wolf, I lifted my chin, and I looked him straight in the eye, as I took a bite of the lasagna. I'm sure it was as delicious as it smelled, but in that moment it tasted like dirt in my mouth. But I'd be doomed if I let that man know that I had lost my appetite over him. I chewed and swallowed, and washed it down with a swig of water.<br /> <br /> He met my eyes briefly, and then he turned to his brother and completely ignored me.<br /> <br /> His brother however, at least had the decent manners to greet me, and to welcome me to the pack. His keen blue eyes traveled back and forth between his older brother, then across the table to me, and back again. Then he shrugged and dug into his food. He made polite conversation with his mother, and sometimes he included me. "How are you finding it here, Nina? Is your room comfortable? Do you need anything?"<br /> <br /> "Oh yes, everything is great." I said, forcing more enthusiasm into my voice than I actually felt. Oh yes, everything is peachy. I've just been yanked out of my childhood home for the sake of some cute treaty. Yes, your home is very nice, and most of the people have been very friendly, but the man I'm supposed to marry is a total bad idea. Everything is great. I forced myself to eat mechanically, and made it through half the lasagna on my plate before I gave up and sat back in my chair. I stared at Nolan. He looks like Jason Mamoa I thought. Without the beard and with better hair. I wonder if he had any tattoos hiding under his clothes. My sisters would be jealous... until they realized that he's an absolute tool.<br /> <br /> Dinner plates were cleared away, and I was eager to excuse myself, but before I could push away from the table, a decadent dessert of tiramisu was brought out. I was no longer hungry. Even the prospect of sugar wasn't appealing at the moment, but I was painfully aware that I was new, I was a guest, and I needed to behave accordingly. I took a couple of bites, and really wished I had the appetite to enjoy the dessert, but I was far too aware of the man across the table. It annoyed me that he was completely unaffected. He shoveled in his food, carried on conversation, and acted like I wasn't even there. When our eyes did meet, I was met with icy, angry daggers and some silent warning that I didn't really understand.<br /> <br /> Finally, when I saw a few other people excusing themselves around the room, I saw my opportunity to escape. "Luna, thank you for a lovely meal," I said politely. "Please excuse me," I pushed back my chair, said goodnight to the rest of the table, and did my best to make a dignified exit, but it was getting harder and harder to walk normally and my stress and my exhaustion seemed to be compounding on me. But the absolute last thing I wanted at that moment was for that arrogant bad guy to see that I had a fatal flaw. He already hated me for no reason, how much more would he despise me for my weakness?<br /> <br /> I had just barely exited the room, when I felt an iron grip bite painfully into my arm, and spin me into the wall. If I hadn't had the support of the wall behind me, I would have fallen over myself. I found myself face to face with Nolan. Where his hand bit painfully into my arm, I felt the sparks. Oh Goddess the sparks that everyone made such a big deal over... they were magical, erotic, passionate, blah, blah. Well they probably never felt those sparks when their mate was squeezing out of their arm, and probably leaving bruises in the process. They probably never felt those sparks when their mate was staring down at you like you were a piece of trash they'd like to throw in the compactor. Being sexually attracted to someone who was clearly out to hurt me did not feel magical. It felt sickening.<br /> "Let me make something perfectly clear," he growled. "I do not want you, and I do not need you. You are only here in this house because my father is an old-fashioned pig-headed dummy. I will marry you to fulfill the treaty contract, but you will never be the Luna, and you will never be my mate." As if to punctuate his rejection, he gave me an extra shove against the wall, and then he stalked off in the other direction... and I was left staring after him... my mouth open, my face pale, and my arm aching.<br /> <br /> It wasn't a real rejection, right? I mean if he was formally rejecting me he would have to say the words. "I Nolan Pierceson of the Gold Mountain pack, do hereby reject you Nina..." And then I would reject him back, and the bond would break. But he hadn't said those words, exactly. Still there was a pain in my chest like something was ripping away. It was powerful enough that I had to hold my chest and gasp for breath. A few other people were trailing out of the dining room now, casting curious glances at me, and I knew I had to get upstairs before anyone started asking me questions that I couldn't answer. I was tired now, and I didn't really care who saw me limp as I dragged myself to the stairs and made my slow, painful climb up three flights. "Are you all right madam?" someone asked. I didn't even look at them, just ground out, "I'm fine." and kept climbing. Once I was at my floor, my legs were so bad I could barely walk at all. My left leg dragged, and I used the wall to balance as I made my way down the hall to my own door. Once inside I turned the lock, and fell across the bed.<br /> <br /> "I will not cry." I chanted. "I will not cry." And I didn't. Nolan Pierceson, I wasn't going to shed a tear for him, nor was I going to wallow in self-pity. He didn't want me? Well I didn't want his arrogant bottom either. My body wasn't strong, but when I set my mind to something, I had an iron will. And I had firmly set my mind against Nolan, and the mating bond. I would play nice until the new moon. When the marriage ceremony was completed, and all the pack alliances signed and sealed, I would reject him myself. And then what? What do you do with the rest of your life?<br /> <br /> Well, I would worry about the rest of my life another day. For today I settled for hot bath. I soaked my aching legs, and scrubbed the make-up off my face. I tried to dismiss Nolan from my thoughts, but I couldn't help but wonder what had made him hate me so much, right from the start. Was it me? Or was it the forced marriage? I mean, I know I'm not much to look at, and I've got a disability, but I don't think he even realized that yet. I hadn't even had enough time to truly piss him off yet. So what was it that had him in such a yank?<br /> <br /> I sighed and pulled the plug out of the tub, letting the water drain down. Men were like aliens. Who could understand them anyway? And who would want to? I slipped into my pajamas and crawled into the bed, totally overwhelmed with everything my brain had had to process in just one day.<br /> <br /> I awoke to a knock on my door. I was pretty sure I had locked it the night before, but still the handle turned and the door opened. I was expecting Daisy's smiling face, but instead it was William. "Hey," he smiled at me, and it seemed like a genuine smile this time. "Mama wanted me to come call you down for breakfast."<br /> <br /> "Oh," I said sleepily, propping myself up on my elbows. "I guess I overslept. Give me a few minutes to get ready"<br /> <br /> "Okay." Instead of leaving, he sprawled himself in the corner seat by the window and waited. I glared at him and wondered if it was entirely appropriate for your future brother-in-law to be making himself comfortable in your bedroom when you aren't even dressed. I thought about demanding he leave, but then changed my mind. Who cared if he saw me in my nightgown? It wasn't like I was indecent. And it wasn't like I owed his brother any kind of fidelity. I flipped back the covers and hauled my heavy body out of bed. I knew his keen eyes were seeing everything. He saw how I limped to the bathroom, and for once, I didn't care. Let him see. Let him see every god thing and report it back to his brother. I slammed the door to the bathroom just to punctuate my own cranky thoughts.<br /> <br /> I turned on the water to brush my teeth and wash my face, but I heard his voice over the faucet. "So that was pretty intense last night." He was commenting. I heard the door to my closet open. What, was he going through my things? "I've never seen anyone stare down my brother before." There was the definite sound of a drawer opening and closing. "This is going to be a very, very interesting marriage."<br /> <br /> I spit out my tooth paste, and yanked the door open to find that he had set out a set of clothes for me, along with clean underwear and a bra. "What are you doing in my clothes?"<br /> <br /> "No worries, just hurrying along. You have nothing to fear from me, peanut. You aren't my type."<br /> <br /> I narrowed my eyes, "And what exactly IS your type?"<br /> <br /> William sighed. "Tall, dark and handsome." I stared at him, not quite comprehending. "Men, Nina. I'm gay."<br /> <br /> "Oh." Was all I could say. Well, I suppose that probably explained his excellent fashion sense. I scooped up the clothes off the bed and retreated back into the bathroom to change. He continued to talk to me through the closed door. "Nolan didn't want to get married. Dad told him if he didn't get married, he would pass the Alpha title to his beta."<br /> <br /> "Why his beta?" I poked my head out of the bathroom again. "Why not to you?"<br /> <br /> William laughed, "Sweetheart, my dad seriously struggles with my sexual orientation. Mostly he just tries to ignore it. And besides, I don't want it. I don't have the constitution of an Alpha." I wondered exactly what that meant, but he didn't elaborate, and I didn't feel it was polite to ask. I did think it was pretty that his father would pass him up as Alpha because of his sexuality. The fact that William was kind of the black sheep of the family made me like him a little more.<br /> <br /> "So? I didn't want to get married either. Its not like it was my idea. What's he got against me?"<br /> <br /> "Nolan is always angry, don't take it personally. You just do you, and let him growl and snarl and spit all he wants. I'm sure he'll get over it eventually."<br /> <br /> "Right." He'll get over it eventually. That sounded so promising, I thought sarcastically. I dragged a brush through my tangled hair and sighed. "Okay, ready. Let's go."<br /> <br /> He held open the door for me, and I hobbled through. He held out his elbow like a gentleman, which was weird, but nice, and I took advantage of it. I waited for him to say something about my limp. But he didn't. I expected him to take me down the stairs, but instead he turned down a different corridor. "Um, where are we going?"<br /> <br /> "There is an elevator at the end of the wing. Its private, for the Alphas to access the 4th floor. But you are marrying the future alpha, so I think you are permitted to use it." At that moment I could have touched him. He produced a key from his pocket and handed it to me. "This is my key, but you can use it until you get your own. I can always take the stairs." You had to insert the key and turn it to call the elevator. Once the doors slid open, you removed the key and selected your floor. I breathed a sigh of relief as the elevator carried us down to the ground floor. It opened into an unfamiliar area behind the kitchens, but William led me through the maze of halls back to the dining room.<br /> <br /> "Ah there you are!" Luna Caydence called from the table.<br /> <br /> "I'm sorry Luna, I overslept."<br /> <br /> "Think nothing of it dear, but I wanted to go over some details of the wedding ceremony with you."<br /> <br /> Well, there went my appetite for breakfast. I didn't want to think about a wedding, let alone plan the details. "Your father sent over a dress," She was saying, and passed me a white box that was getting a little yellowed around the edges. I lifted the cover and felt tears burn behind my eyes.<br /> <br /> "Oh... my mother's dress." I whispered. I touched the delicate silk and lace. That was a strangely thoughtful and sentimental gesture on my father's part. Who forces their daughter into an arranged marriage, and then sends them a precious family heirloom? But it only made me feel more sad and distraught. I had dreamed that one day I would marry my soul mate, the love of my life, and I would wear my mama's dress, which had been HER mama's dress. It seemed wrong to wear such a special garment to a farce of marriage with a man who despised me.<br /> <br /> "Oooh, it was your mother's? How very special! Take it out dear, lets see it!"<br /> <br /> I didn't really want to take it out of the box, but I did. It was a simple and beautiful dress, with a fitted bodice, off-the shoulder sleeves, and a long, full skirt. The bodice was decorated with lace and tiny pearls, and the same lace edged the bottom of the long skirt. I was not as pretty or shapely as my mother, but we were a similar size, and I thought the dress would fit me well enough without needing any alterations. The Luna fawned over the dress. "Its very pretty, so elegent. You will look absolutely beautiful." She said kindly. I swallowed the knot in my throat and carefully folded it back into the box. Mama would have hated all of this. She would never have let this marriage happen, especially if she got a glimpse of the black-and-blue fingerprints that Nolan had left on my arm last night.<br /> <br /> I took a deep breath and set the box aside as breakfast arrived. I sipped my tea and listened as the Luna went over other details. Flowers and seating and ceremonial nuances. I didn't care, but I tried my best to act interested. When she asked me questions, I answered. "What is your favorite flower, dear?"<br /> <br /> "Sunflowers." I said without hesitation.<br /> <br /> "And your favorite color?"<br /> <br /> "Turquoise."<br /> <br /> She went on about bringing a stylist to do my hair and make up, and I swirled a spoon around in my yogurt. Really I just wanted this to be over. William came and sat and occasionally added his two cents to the conversation. The wedding ceremony would be on the back lawn, with seating for private guests only. The gazebo would be decorated out for the occasion. After it was all official, we would move to the pack meeting house, where we would be publicly celebrated, and Nolan would be presented as the new Alpha of the pack, and I would be presented as Luna.<br /> <br /> I choked on my tea. Nolan had said emphatically that I would "never be Luna." But it seemed that his parents had other ideas. What was I supposed to do? "Luna, I don't think--"<br /> <br /> The Luna gave me a hard look. "You are his wife. You will be the Luna. No matter what he says." That made me wonder if Nolan had already taken this argument to his mother. Would I still be the Luna after I rejected him? Would he divorce me once he had all his political ducks in a row? I wanted to bury my head in my hands. I gave William a pleading look, but he only shrugged back at me. So much for having an ally in the house.	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1,952,786	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":1952752}'	Yes	2024-08-01 19:12	active	1201	1018219776348554	🔥🔥 Click to Read 👉🏻👉🏻	“I told you baby I’m divorcing her I already have the papers drawn up in my desk you just have to give me time to break it to her and how to break it to her, yes baby our dinner plans are still on for tonight I’ll meet you there.”<br /> <br /> I’m standing there and can't move clutching the pregnancy test in my hands with tears rolling down cheeks and i forced myself to move out of the front of his office door and walk to our bedroom hid the pregnancy test and jump into the shower to hide my tears. <br /> _________<br /> Im sitting here in shock as i sit here and look at 2 lines happiness and fear is going through me, happiness because im finally pregnant after 4 years of being married to richard and then the fear because he has never mentioned having kids with me and then there is the plan b he makes sure i take after we have intercourse.<br /> I worked up enough courage to tell him and show him the pregnancy test and as im about to knock on his home office door i hear him talking in a hush tone. I told you baby im divorcing her I already have the papers drawn up in my desk you just have to give me time to break it to her and how to break it to her, yes baby our dinner plans are still on for tonight ill meet you there, i love you too and ill see you in a little bit.<br /> Im standing there and can't move clutching the pregnancy test in my hands with tears rolling down cheeks and i forced myself to move out of the front of his office door and walk to our bedroom hid the pregnancy test and jump into the shower to hide my tears. I guess I can put the blame on myself i knew who his childhood love is and i hoped that he would fall in love with me and forget about her but it doesn't look like the case and how dumb i feel.<br /> Im standing there under the water letting it hit my face and going over a plan in my head I've already made up my mind while he is gone ill pack up my stuff and sign the divorce papers in his home office then im gone. I was lost in my thoughts and didn't hear Richard get in the shower with me until i felt his arms wrap around me and pull me back into him.<br /> Showering without me are you? I felt so sick by his touch but I can't let him know that I know his plans and I need to get out of here. I went by your office and seen your door shut so I figured you was busy with work and didn't want to bother you, im never to busy for you darling. He turns me around so i will face him his hand is softly stroking my face while he stares at my face like he is taking a mental picture, he smiles then says you know i love you don't you? I mentally roll my eyes back into my head then smiled and said yes i know and do you know that i love you back? His smile reached his ears yes i do then he stars pecking me ever so passionly and it felt like to me that this will our last time.<br /> He throws me up against the shower wall and hikes one of my legs up to his side, lets have intercourse in the shower its been awhile sense we have done this he said while nibbling on my neck, it has been awhile i said smiling while he slips inside of me. This round was different we both knew it would be our last time together like this and he is taking his time like he is making a mental video at this moment. He has me pushed up against the wall and my legs are wrapped around his waste, richard im about to, i know darling i am too. He sits me down and makes me lean forward and put my hands against the wall then he pounds into me, the bathroom is filled with my moans and his grunts baby do you know how bad your tight little private part drives me crazy when your getting off? Yes i do and i love that it drives you crazy, he starts stroking harder and faster and i know his release is coming, after he released himself inside of me he grabs me and pulls me close to him while leaving himself inside of me he has never did this before.<br /> He hurried and finished showering and i stay behind to finish up my shower, i came out and looked surprised when i seen him in his suit, going back to the office? Yea i have to finish up some work so ill be late don't wait up for me, you know its hard for me to sleep without you so hurry back as fast as you can and i gave him a warm smile, he walks over to me takes his thumb under my chin to make me look at him then he peckes me ever so gently he takes the towel off of me and his hand goes straight to my belly i start to panic does he know? He pulls away and takes a couple steps back and just stares at me if i wouldn't have pulled away we would have went for round 2, so i say giving him a flirty smile after all we are husband and wife, he walks up to me softly stroking my face if i didn't have to be at the office we would definitely go for another round he peckes me one more time then looks me in my eyes and says don't forget your plan b pill and don't wait up, i nodd and smile at him and walk over to my night then i hear the bedroom door shut.<br /> I sit on the bed listening to his footsteps fade away, wow he must be in a hurry to get to her because normally he would watch me just to make sure i took it, i walk across the hall and look out the window he is standing there typing on his phone then he slides into the back seat while the driver shuts the door. I grab my iphone log in with his information and read every iMessage between them my heart felt like it was stabbed over and over again he is talking about having kids with her something he has never with me i rub my flat belly don't worry little one mommy will make sure you have the best life i can give you we won't need him.<br /> I walk back to the room pack my things walk to his office to look for the divorce papers, i found them and read through them if i don't give him any trouble i get 50 thousand dollars and his name is already signed so i signed my name and faxed the papers to his lawyer. I laid the divorce papers on top of his desk and added a sticky note on top. A wife always knows and ive already faxed the papers to your lawyer after i signed them take care richard love tessa. I reset my iphone back to factory mode sign in on under his accounts and left the screen on his imessages with laura so that way when he picks it up that will be the first thing he will see and he can't track me if i don't have this phone if he wanted too.<br /> I remember to grab the pregnancy test and the box so i don't leave any evidence behind about my little one he didn't want one anyway at least not with me. I was able to sneak out without the maid seeing me walked down the road a little ways where the cab was waiting for me. I told the cab driver the address and sat back watching out the window I fought hard to keep my tears from falling down my cheeks he doesn't want me then i won't shed no tears for him. I had the cab drop me off at a little hotel where they would let me pay with cash and didn't ask for ID i can hide out here until that money goes into my banking account then i can get it all out and close my account down.<br /> Richards POV<br /> im stuck with a big dilemma between 2 women that i love except for one knows about the other when the other one don't, laura wants me to divorce tessa and that was the plan until i started having doubts, yes i may have already had the divorce papers drawn up and signed my name but that doesn't mean it's killing me on the inside. The shower intercourse we had earlier was amazing heck every time we have intercourse its always amazing with tessa who ever thought a shy and quite girl like tessa would be so kinky? She is my type of women in the bed.<br /> I had to get one last look of her undressed body and one last taste of her before i break her heart tomorrow ive made up my mind ive missed laura like crazy while she was away with her dad for 5 years and was over joyed when she let me know that she is moving back I couldn't wait to see her. As twisted as this may sound I haven't touched laura sure we have pecked but out of respect for tessa thats all that has happened between laura and me.<br /> I called it a night with laura actually I couldn't wait to get back home to cuddle into tessa she thinks she is the only one that can't sleep without me but I can't sleep without her warm body pressed into mine it's going to be hard to sleep for awhile without her, am I really about to do this?<br /> I walk into the bedroom and see that the light is on but tessa isnt in the bed or in the room then i noticed that our wedding picture is missing from her night stand so i walk over to the bed and noticed a ripped up picture laying on the bed and its just me her side of the picture is gone, did she find out about laura? I walk to find the maid, have you seen tessa? She was in your office a little while ago faxing something sir, i nodd and ran straight to my office, is everything alright sir? Help me find tessa she isn't in the bedroom or in my office, i see her phone laying on my desk and i open it up and my heart sank when it was the messages between me and laura how did she find out how to do this?<br /> I sit back in my seat with her phone gripped tightly in my hands feeling numb all over when I noticed a sticky note that I don't remember leaving there and when i read it I didn't think it was even possible for my heart to sink any further until i read that she signed them and already faxed them my heart shattered. All I could do was imagine what she went through and is going through right now, where she went to? Is she safe? How could i have been so dumb? Why didn't she even put up a fight or even beg me?<br /> Im pacing back and forth at the foot of our bed imagining her laying in her spot looking so comfortable and sound asleep with me cuddle in behind her. i still see her undressed and standing there went i look in that direction, i still can see how the bottom of her belly was poking out a little and i started to imagine what she would look like with my baby in her and when my hand automatically went there it scared her, i know she isn't pregnant her periods came on time and she takes plan b after we have intercourse.<br /> I wasn't able to sleep last night so I went back to my home office before the sun came out thats when I noticed her wedding rings was laying there and i felt something I haven't felt in a long time running down my cheeks, it has been awhile sense i have cried I've actually been pretty happy with everything until now, i slid her wedding rings onto my pinky and just stared at them while tears are flowing down my face.<br /> I cant put out a missing persons report because our marriage was a secret I didn't want her to be noticed and live a happy and normal life without anyone knowing who she is. Ah ha she will probably be going to the bank soon to take out the money and ill tell them to notify me when she does, seeing how the bank is ran by my company they can't go against my orders.<br /> Laura has already called me this morning asking if i asked about a divorce yet i told her no because I didn't want to go straight into planning another wedding i still needed to find tessa I didn't want her to hurt.<br /> Tessa POV<br /> i haven't been able to hardly sleep at all, I wasn't lying to Richard when i told him I couldn't sleep without him but im getting used to it, its been 2 weeks sense i ran away and im about to run out of money so its time to empty my banking account and get the heck out of here so i can live freely and not only that i need to get my little one checked on and get the proper care that i need.<br /> My childhood friend is coming tonight and she is helping me escape tomorrow and we have a plan set up just incase he shows up I doubt he will sense this is what he wanted but its always good to plan ahead. Someone is knocking on my motel door and i know it isn't kelly because she will call my motel room when she gets here, i peek through the peephole and i see Richards assistant and Richard standing behind him with his arms folded across his chest and he doesn't look like she has slept good in ages, my heart drops to my feet has he found me? I almost opened the door when they stop someone walking by, excuse me sir have you seen this girl? He looks at the picture nope I can't say i have sorry, take this flyer and if you spot her give us a call and if you give us the right location and we locate her well will give you a great reward.<br /> Why is he looking for me? Is he having regrets? Does he know about the little one? Ive come to far im not turning myself in he probably wants me to get rid of little one if he knows it's coming and I won't take that chance no way. Kelly pulls in and they walk up to her car show her the flyer and i can tell she is trying so hard not to show it on her face, i see her shake her head no I can't hear what they are saying because they are so far away. They get into their vehicle and leave, i see her walking to my door and i hurry up and open it while hiding behind it.<br /> Girl do you know richard was just outside showing a picture of you trying to find you? Yes they knocked on my door but I didn't answer it, what is he wanting? I don't know i gave him what he wanted and he shouldn't know about little one we are the only ones that knows and i made sure to take the box and test with me, its a good thing you are getting out of here tomorrow that was way to close, yes it was I thought for sure he found me and came a hair of opening the door, don't you ever do something that dumb again, o im not promise.<br /> The next day kelly has me so made up that I don't recognize myself in the mirror, i have brown hair and she has me in a blonde wig a outfit that shows way to much of my body and my cleavage, i was just thankful I have a decent pair of flats i can run in if i have too. I put on a pair of over sized sunglasses and get on the bus and head to the bank, i walk into the bank go into the restroom and remove my wig stuff it in my big purse i fix my hair up into a messy bun and head to the tailors window. I show her my ID and my banking information i want everything out of my checking account and close my account, the tailor looks at me and smiles then whisperes i know who you are and im supposed to alert mr roads when you arrive to claim the money, please don't I just want to get my money and be on my way, don't worry i won't alert him until i see you walk out the door I can't stand laura she is making brags that she can't marry mr roads because you ran away before he could get you to sign the divorce papers, she hands me the money and i say i have signed the divorce papers and faxed the papers myself to his lawyer he is divorced and im not holding anyone up, I figured as much why else would he put 50 thousand into your checking account laura is just making up stories to make herself look good, ill be the run away wife I really don't care he is a free man what he does on his end is up to him, you better get going then before someone spots you, thank you so much she looks at me and gives me warming smile then winks.<br /> I step outside of the bank and take a last look around i plan not to step back into this city for years, i take one more big breath to calm my nerves down put on my sunglasses i start to take a step then i hear what sounded like someone slamming on their breaks, i thought someone was about to get ran over and i take a look to see what was going on when i noticed who's car it was i froze in my spot. Come on tessa get yourself together think of little one, i see a door open and richard gets out hollering my name, wait tessa i need to talk to you i shake my head no and turn around to take my steps away, tess please wait for me we need to talk, i turn to look at him and he is trying to dodge vehicles to get across the road to me and i spot my opportunity and took off running away from him and at this point instead of hollering my name he is screaming it.<br /> I spot the place where i picked to hide until he ran by me so i hide there and move a box in front of me and quite my breathing down, i hear feet coming my way running i know who it is so i hold still and hold my breath until he runs by. I wait there for 5 minutes to make sure he doesn't come back this way, i slowly moved the box and quietly left my hiding spot and ran in the opposite direction until i spoted my friends car waiting for me, i was about to step out when i noticed richards car coming towards my direction either he is in there or the driver is going to him, i check my surroundings and keep my ears pilled listening for footsteps. I watch for the car to get out of distance then i ran as fast as i could to her car got in and she stepped on the gas.<br /> Wow that was crazy and why isn't your wig on? The bank teller knew who i was and she told me that richard has been keeping a close eye on my checking account and that when i came to get out the money they was to notify him when i was there but the bank teller also told me that Laura has been going around exposing our marriage saying the only reason why richard hasn't proposed to her yet is because i ran away before he could get me to sign the divorce papers so im a run away wife thats why riachard has been looking for me, you did sign the papers didn't you? Yes how do you think i was able to get this money? So either he is telling her that to why he is looking for you or she is making it up because she has been bragging and needs to cover her tracks, thats exactly my thoughts but it doesn't matter im free leaving this city and i have my little one, thats right girl a new life is waiting for you.	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