ALICE
My blood boils as I stare straight ahead, my gaze fixed on the podium where my sister Hannah and my mate Alex stand. Yes, he rejects me, and I begrudgingly accept it, but that doesn’t mean a damn thing to me. Alex is still mine, no matter what.
Their engagement ceremony unfolds before me, a spectacle of joy and celebration that feels like a slap in the face. As the elders from both the sky and silver packs speak words of wisdom and guidance to Hannah and Alex, my fists clench at my sides, the rage inside me threatening to consume everything in its path. It should be me standing there, receiving their blessings and stepping into the role of Alex’s Luna and equal. But fate has other plans, and now I’m forced to watch from the sidelines as my sister takes what should be rightfully mine.
The ceremony presses on, each moment feeling like a dagger twisting deeper into my wounded heart. And then comes the ultimate betrayal: the elders ask Alex to mark Hannah. In any other circumstance, such a ritual would be reserved for the sacred bond of mating, but since this is an alliance between two packs, they choose to perform the marking here, in front of everyone, as a symbol of unity between the packs.
With seething fury burning inside me, I watch as Hannah’s body readily accepts the mark of Alex. It’s infuriatingly easy for her, all because she’s his fucking second chance mate. If she weren’t, it would have been much harder. But even as my anger threatens to consume me, I’m forced to endure the sight of everyone around me cheering and smiling as if this travesty is something to be celebrated. Even Alex’s parents look on with happiness in their eyes.
“Fuck!” I exclaim, the frustration boiling over as I turn to face my parents beside me, my voice sharp with anger.
“Why did you make Hannah the one who Alex marries? I was his first mate. Why the hell didn’t you pick me?” I bark at them, my words laced with bitterness and resentment. My mom attempts to hush me, her hand reaching out and pulling me to the side, away from the crowd.
“It’s not that simple, my dear,” Mom says, her voice gentle but firm as she places a comforting hand on my arm.
“What do you mean?” I demand.
“We can’t go into details right now, but just know we did it for a reason. We would never have chosen her if it wasn’t necessary,” Mom says, her voice gentle but tinged with an underlying gravity that leaves me with more questions than answers.
But before I can ask further, Dad’s interjection only adds fuel to the fire raging inside me. “Besides, you should forget about Alex. You still have his brothers as mates,”
“No! It doesn’t matter if I have Lorenzo and Cameron. Alex is the one I want!” I yell, my voice cracking with the weight of my frustration and longing. Tears of desperation fill my eyes as I struggle to make them understand. Forget about Alex? How could I when every fiber of my being longed for him with a fierceness that bordered on obsession?
Mom reaches out to console me, her touch gentle and soothing, but I pull away, the pain too raw to bear. Without another word, I turn and storm off into the surrounding woods.
Alone, I pull out the syringe and blade from my purse, the cold metal glinting in the dim light. It’s time to make them understand just how much I needed Alex. Without hesitation, I drive the silver-filled syringe into my arm, the sharp sting of the needle piercing my skin, sending shivers down my spine. Next, I press the blade against my wrist and slice, the pain a welcome distraction from the ache in my heart.
With each passing moment, my strength begins to wane, the world around me fading into a blur as my blood seeps into the grass below. As darkness threatens to consume me, I muster the last remnants of my fading consciousness and call out to my mates, the desperation in my voice echoing through the silent night.
It’s a dangerous gamble, one born out of despair and desperation, but in that moment, I have nothing left to lose. All I can do is cling to the fragile hope that they will hear my plea and come to my aid before it’s too late. And he also comes too.
HANNAH
With each step towards Alex’ room, a blazing wildfire of desire raged within me, consuming my thoughts and searing my veins with yearning. Alex had marked me without mating, and the intensity of the bond between us threatened to overwhelm my senses, nearly pushing me to the brink of begging him to take me right there in the hallway. Poppy is even clawing at the surface, desperate for release.
The moment we step inside the room, Alex turns to me with a primal hunger burning in his eyes. Without a word, he crashes his lips against mine, a growl rumbling in his chest. The sound sends shivers down my spine, my body trembling with anticipation.
“Mine,” he breathes against my lips, his voice thick with desire as he tears my dress from my body with a single, swift motion. I meet his gaze, my eyes filled with lust as my chest rises and falls with each ragged breath.
Alex lifts me effortlessly off the ground and tosses me onto the bed. A surge of electricity courses through me, setting every nerve ablaze with need. I watch with rapt attention as he sheds his clothes, revealing the sculpted perfection of his body, each muscle defined and taut with tension.
My eyes roam hungrily over him, drinking in every inch of his form as he stands before me, his member hard and glistening with precum. With a hunger that borders on desperation, I reach out for him, my fingers trembling with need as I beckon him closer, eager to lose myself in him.
Alex moves towards me on the bed, his lips crashing against mine in a frenzy of desire. His hands roam my body, igniting sparks of pleasure with every touch. In one fluid motion, he pulls my panties away, leaving me bare and exposed to him, my core already dripping and throbbing for him to take me.
“So fucking wet and ready as always,” Alex moans against my lips, his voice thick with desire as he inserts a finger into me, his movements slow and deliberate. A shiver of pleasure courses through me as his mouth trails down my body, leaving a trail of hot kisses in its wake, each touch sending waves of ecstasy crashing over me.
“Faster,” I breathe, my toes curling with anticipation as the pleasure builds within me. But Alex ignores my pleas, adding another finger and maintaining his agonizingly slow pace.
“Please,” I beg, my body aching for release, my voice a desperate plea.
“Beg harder,” he whispers into my ear, his breath hot against my skin, sending shivers down my spine. When he pulls away and I meet his gaze, his eyes are filled with mischief, a wicked glint that both excites and unnerves me.
I want to refuse him, to deny him the satisfaction he seeks, but as his fingers stroke my clit with a skilled touch, all resistance crumbles, replaced by an overwhelming need that consumes me.
“Please, Alex,” I plead, my voice barely above a whisper as pleasure washes over me in waves, my eyes fluttering shut as I lose myself in the blissful torment of his touch.
“Much better,” he breathes, satisfaction evident in his voice as he finally answers my desperate pleas.
Withdrawing his fingers, he positions himself above me, his gaze locked with mine as he thrusts into me with a primal force. A guttural groan escapes his lips, mixing with my own moans of pleasure as he fills me to the hilt.
“Fuck!” he growls, his movements becoming more frantic as he wraps my legs around his waist and begins to thrust in and out of me at a maddening pace. Each movement sends shockwaves of pleasure coursing through me, my senses overwhelmed by the intensity of our connection.
“Alex,” I gasp, my body on the brink of ecstasy as pleasure washes over me like a tidal wave. I know it’s partly because he had marked me, the bond between us amplifying every sensation.
Alex continues to move inside me, his powerful thrusts driving me closer and closer to the brink of release. With each motion, the pleasure intensifies, building within me like a storm waiting to break free. My senses are overwhelmed by the sheer ecstasy of the moment, every sensation heightened by his marking. I fist hard to the sheets, my toes curling.
Alex propels me relentlessly toward the edge, and I surrender myself to the pleasure, allowing it to consume me entirely. In that fleeting moment, there is nothing else but us, lost in the intoxicating embrace of our passion.
And then, it happens. The release I’ve been yearning for crashes over me like a tidal wave, washing away all thoughts and worries in a flood of pure ecstasy. I tremble against his sheets, my body pulsing with the aftershocks of pleasure as I ride the waves of bliss, utterly spent and utterly satisfied in the arms of my mate.
I expect him to follow suit after my release, but Alex surprises me. Instead, he grabs my waist and effortlessly flips us over, his eyes ablaze with desire as he gazes into mine.
“Ride me, mate,” he breathes, his voice husky with need. Panting hard, my body still tingling from the intense release he gave me moments ago, I find myself unable to resist his command.
With a nod, I comply, straddling him and beginning to move up and down his member. Each movement sends sparks of pleasure shooting through me, igniting a fire that threatens to consume us both. But as I ride him, a sinful thought crosses my mind, and I let it guide me.
Slowing my movements, I tease him with each tantalizing stroke, savoring the sweet agony written across his face. It’s a small act of rebellion, a way to reclaim some semblance of control in this whirlwind of desire and need. And as I watch him writhe beneath me, I can’t help but feel a sense of satisfaction wash over me, knowing that, for once, I hold the power while we have sex.
“Faster, Hannah,” he groans, his hand moving to my neck and wrapping around it, though he doesn’t choke. Despite his command, I maintain my pace, a smirk playing on my lips.
“Faster,” he growls, his grip tightening ever so slightly around my neck. Surprisingly, a wave of pleasure courses through me at his touch, causing wetness to pool even more around my core. The sensation is unexpected but undeniably arousing.
Deciding to put an end to his torment, I quicken my pace, moving against him with increasing speed. My hips slam into his, each thrust bringing us closer to the edge of ecstasy once again. The pleasure builds within me, my body responding eagerly to his touch as I bring him closer to his release and feel mine building again.
“Fuck, Hannah,” Alex groans, his nails digging into my waist as his eyes flutter closed in pleasure. I continue to move against him, my core tightening around his member as I cum hard, the sensation overwhelming in its intensity. But I don’t stop, fueled by a primal need to bring him to the same heights of pleasure.
As his release washes over him, he uses his hand around my neck to pull my face to his, claiming my lips in a passionate kiss. “Mine,” he growls against my lips, burying his nose into my neck and inhaling deeply, his mark on me. A shiver runs down my spine at his possessiveness, and my chest swells with joy at it.