Introduction
Caught in the cross hairs of Alpha Damian Blackthorn, the city's most feared predator, and Lucien D'Amato, the vampire CEO with an unholy hunger, Ivy's fate is sealed.
As their fated mate, she's the prize in a game of power and passion, where the rules are brutal and the players are ruthless. Torn between desire and danger, Ivy must choose: surrender to the darkness or risk everything for a love that could be her salvation... or her demise.
In this city, the predators rule, and Ivy's just become the most coveted prey. Will she rise as their queen, or fall as their next victim?
Chapter 1
DAISY
It’s been three days since Adrian walked out, pissed at both Iris and me, and things haven’t been the same since.
I understand where he’s coming from. I really do. Being left out of something as huge as a mate mark is bound to sting. But I also know how terrified Iris has been since the marking. How much of herself she’s tried to bottle up. Adrian not knowing wasn’t betrayal. It was survival.
Still, campus feels off without his chaotic energy buzzing around. Everything’s quieter. Iris has been stuck in her own head. And me? I’ve had to endure people whispering that we’ve finally been dumped by the McAlisters like it was a ticking time bomb waiting to happen.
I’m halfway to my next class, trying to keep my mind off everything, when I take a corner too fast and wham.
Books fly out of my hand and scatter across the floor.
“Seriously? Are you blind?” I snap, brushing my hair out of my face, and then I freeze.
Of course.
Zeus McAlister.
Because who else would I run into when I’m already spiraling?
He stares down at me, not even bothering to look apologetic. His eyes are cold, distant, like they always are, like I’m nothing more than a speck on the bottom of his shoe. And he says nothing.
Not a single word.
“What?” I snap. “You bump into people and then just stare at them like a statue?”
He still doesn’t answer. Instead, he bends to pick up one of my books, then flips it over like it’s a foreign object before handing it back to me. “Maybe if you watched where you were going, we wouldn’t be here.”
“Oh, so now you speak?” I snatch the book from his hand. “Could’ve used the voice five seconds ago.”
“I was giving you a moment to gather your thoughts. Clearly, you needed it.”
God. I forgot how infuriating everybody says he is.
“Listen, I don’t know what your problem is-” I begin.
“You are,” he says, stepping back. “You’re loud, nosy, and always somewhere you don’t belong.”
I blink, stunned. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me,” he says, voice flat. “I don’t know what spell you and your little friend cast on my brothers, but it needs to end.”
Wow.
“That’s rich, coming from someone who walks around like the world owes him something,” I fire back. “If you hate people so much, why not just stay in your big, brooding mansion and leave the rest of us alone?”
He steps closer, eyes narrowing. “Because unlike you, I have responsibilities. I don’t get to play human and pretend everything’s sunshine and rainbows.”
“Right,” I scoff. “Because your life is so hard. Must be exhausting, being a walking thundercloud twenty-four-seven.”
“I don’t expect you to understand.”
“Oh, I don’t understand being disrespected, talked down to, or treated like crap by someone who thinks he’s above everyone else? Yeah, you're right, Zeus, I totally can’t relate.”
We stare at each other, breathing hard. For a second, neither of us says anything. The tension between us is thick and suffocating.
Then he mutters, “Just stay away from my brother.”
I laugh. A full, sharp, bitter laugh. “Is that what this is about? You think I’m a threat to your precious little bloodline? Please. Adrian’s a big boy. He can make his own decisions.”
“He’s reckless. And you’re a distraction.”
I grit my teeth. “You don’t know anything about me.”
“I know enough,” he says, voice low. “And I don’t trust you.”
“Good,” I snap. “Because the feeling is very, very mutual."
Another pause. His jaw ticks. He looks like he wants to say more, but instead, he just scoffs, turns around, and walks off without another word.
I stand there for a second, stunned, still holding my stupid books against my chest like a shield.
God, I hate him.
I hate how he gets under my skin. How he acts like he knows everything. Like I’m just a bug he’s waiting to crush.
But what I hate more?
The fact that even after all that, my heart is racing.
And I know exactly why.
I just have a stupid, inconvenient, absolutely terrible crush on Zeus McAlister.
Not that I’m ever going to tell him that.
I scoop up the last of my books with a huff and head to my next class, trying to ignore the way my palms are still sweaty. Zeus McAllister is officially the worst, and now he’s burned into my brain like a virus I can’t uninstall.
I push through the door and spot Iris already in her seat, elbow on the desk, cheek resting against her palm, eyes staring blankly out the window like she’s waiting for her soul to return from a long trip.
“Earth to Iris,” I say as I slide into the seat beside her. “Please tell me you’re not daydreaming about Darian again.”
She blinks slowly, like coming out of a fog, and sighs. “No. Just...thinking.”
“Mmm.” I hum dramatically, nudging her with my elbow. “Well, while you were thinking about not thinking about Darian, guess who I bumped into?”
She side-eyes me. “Adrian?”
“Nope.”
“Your step-cousin from the city who vapes and talks about crypto?”
“God, no.” I grin. “Zeus McAllister.”
Her brow rises slightly, but that’s all. No gasp. No second blink. No dramatic reaction. Just a flat, unimpressed expression.
I lean closer. “Okay, rude. That was supposed to be a moment.”
She turns her head toward me. “The McAllister boys have only ever brought us stress. Adrian was chaos on two legs, and Darian…” She trails off, looking out the window again. “Let’s just say I’m still recovering from that heartbreak.”
I nod slowly, suddenly not as eager to replay the Zeus scene. “Fair.”
“Having two of them in our lives is already two too many,” she says, voice quiet but sure. “We don’t need to go adding a third to the pile, Daisy. That house has done enough damage.”
I bite the inside of my cheek. She’s not wrong. And Zeus didn’t exactly sweep in with sunshine and charm. He’s cold, sharp, the kind of guy who makes you feel like he’s five steps ahead in a game you didn’t know you were playing.
Still…
“I’m not trying to add him to anything,” I say, maybe a little too defensive. “It was just a run-in. He knocked over my books. I yelled. He growled. End of story.”
Iris hums, skeptical. “You like him.”
DAISY
It’s been three days since Adrian walked out, pissed at both Iris and me, and things haven’t been the same since.
I understand where he’s coming from. I really do. Being left out of something as huge as a mate mark is bound to sting. But I also know how terrified Iris has been since the marking. How much of herself she’s tried to bottle up. Adrian not knowing wasn’t betrayal. It was survival.
Still, campus feels off without his chaotic energy buzzing around. Everything’s quieter. Iris has been stuck in her own head. And me? I’ve had to endure people whispering that we’ve finally been dumped by the McAlisters like it was a ticking time bomb waiting to happen.
I’m halfway to my next class, trying to keep my mind off everything, when I take a corner too fast and wham.
Books fly out of my hand and scatter across the floor.
“Seriously? Are you blind?” I snap, brushing my hair out of my face, and then I freeze.
Of course.
Zeus McAlister.
Because who else would I run into when I’m already spiraling?
He stares down at me, not even bothering to look apologetic. His eyes are cold, distant, like they always are, like I’m nothing more than a speck on the bottom of his shoe. And he says nothing.
Not a single word.
“What?” I snap. “You bump into people and then just stare at them like a statue?”
He still doesn’t answer. Instead, he bends to pick up one of my books, then flips it over like it’s a foreign object before handing it back to me. “Maybe if you watched where you were going, we wouldn’t be here.”
“Oh, so now you speak?” I snatch the book from his hand. “Could’ve used the voice five seconds ago.”
“I was giving you a moment to gather your thoughts. Clearly, you needed it.”
God. I forgot how infuriating everybody says he is.
“Listen, I don’t know what your problem is-” I begin.
“You are,” he says, stepping back. “You’re loud, nosy, and always somewhere you don’t belong.”
I blink, stunned. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me,” he says, voice flat. “I don’t know what spell you and your little friend cast on my brothers, but it needs to end.”
Wow.
“That’s rich, coming from someone who walks around like the world owes him something,” I fire back. “If you hate people so much, why not just stay in your big, brooding mansion and leave the rest of us alone?”
He steps closer, eyes narrowing. “Because unlike you, I have responsibilities. I don’t get to play human and pretend everything’s sunshine and rainbows.”
“Right,” I scoff. “Because your life is so hard. Must be exhausting, being a walking thundercloud twenty-four-seven.”
“I don’t expect you to understand.”
“Oh, I don’t understand being disrespected, talked down to, or treated like crap by someone who thinks he’s above everyone else? Yeah, you're right, Zeus, I totally can’t relate.”
We stare at each other, breathing hard. For a second, neither of us says anything. The tension between us is thick and suffocating.
Then he mutters, “Just stay away from my brother.”
I laugh. A full, sharp, bitter laugh. “Is that what this is about? You think I’m a threat to your precious little bloodline? Please. Adrian’s a big boy. He can make his own decisions.”
“He’s reckless. And you’re a distraction.”
I grit my teeth. “You don’t know anything about me.”
“I know enough,” he says, voice low. “And I don’t trust you.”
“Good,” I snap. “Because the feeling is very, very mutual."
Another pause. His jaw ticks. He looks like he wants to say more, but instead, he just scoffs, turns around, and walks off without another word.
I stand there for a second, stunned, still holding my stupid books against my chest like a shield.
God, I hate him.
I hate how he gets under my skin. How he acts like he knows everything. Like I’m just a bug he’s waiting to crush.
But what I hate more?
The fact that even after all that, my heart is racing.
And I know exactly why.
I just have a stupid, inconvenient, absolutely terrible crush on Zeus McAlister.
Not that I’m ever going to tell him that.
I scoop up the last of my books with a huff and head to my next class, trying to ignore the way my palms are still sweaty. Zeus McAllister is officially the worst, and now he’s burned into my brain like a virus I can’t uninstall.
I push through the door and spot Iris already in her seat, elbow on the desk, cheek resting against her palm, eyes staring blankly out the window like she’s waiting for her soul to return from a long trip.
“Earth to Iris,” I say as I slide into the seat beside her. “Please tell me you’re not daydreaming about Darian again.”
She blinks slowly, like coming out of a fog, and sighs. “No. Just...thinking.”
“Mmm.” I hum dramatically, nudging her with my elbow. “Well, while you were thinking about not thinking about Darian, guess who I bumped into?”
She side-eyes me. “Adrian?”
“Nope.”
“Your step-cousin from the city who vapes and talks about crypto?”
“God, no.” I grin. “Zeus McAllister.”
Her brow rises slightly, but that’s all. No gasp. No second blink. No dramatic reaction. Just a flat, unimpressed expression.
I lean closer. “Okay, rude. That was supposed to be a moment.”
She turns her head toward me. “The McAllister boys have only ever brought us stress. Adrian was chaos on two legs, and Darian…” She trails off, looking out the window again. “Let’s just say I’m still recovering from that heartbreak.”
I nod slowly, suddenly not as eager to replay the Zeus scene. “Fair.”
“Having two of them in our lives is already two too many,” she says, voice quiet but sure. “We don’t need to go adding a third to the pile, Daisy. That house has done enough damage.”
I bite the inside of my cheek. She’s not wrong. And Zeus didn’t exactly sweep in with sunshine and charm. He’s cold, sharp, the kind of guy who makes you feel like he’s five steps ahead in a game you didn’t know you were playing.
Still…
“I’m not trying to add him to anything,” I say, maybe a little too defensive. “It was just a run-in. He knocked over my books. I yelled. He growled. End of story.”
Iris hums, skeptical. “You like him.”
DAISY
It’s been three days since Adrian walked out, pissed at both Iris and me, and things haven’t been the same since.
I understand where he’s coming from. I really do. Being left out of something as huge as a mate mark is bound to sting. But I also know how terrified Iris has been since the marking. How much of herself she’s tried to bottle up. Adrian not knowing wasn’t betrayal. It was survival.
Still, campus feels off without his chaotic energy buzzing around. Everything’s quieter. Iris has been stuck in her own head. And me? I’ve had to endure people whispering that we’ve finally been dumped by the McAlisters like it was a ticking time bomb waiting to happen.
I’m halfway to my next class, trying to keep my mind off everything, when I take a corner too fast and wham.
Books fly out of my hand and scatter across the floor.
“Seriously? Are you blind?” I snap, brushing my hair out of my face, and then I freeze.
Of course.
Zeus McAlister.
Because who else would I run into when I’m already spiraling?
He stares down at me, not even bothering to look apologetic. His eyes are cold, distant, like they always are, like I’m nothing more than a speck on the bottom of his shoe. And he says nothing.
Not a single word.
“What?” I snap. “You bump into people and then just stare at them like a statue?”
He still doesn’t answer. Instead, he bends to pick up one of my books, then flips it over like it’s a foreign object before handing it back to me. “Maybe if you watched where you were going, we wouldn’t be here.”
“Oh, so now you speak?” I snatch the book from his hand. “Could’ve used the voice five seconds ago.”
“I was giving you a moment to gather your thoughts. Clearly, you needed it.”
God. I forgot how infuriating everybody says he is.
“Listen, I don’t know what your problem is-” I begin.
“You are,” he says, stepping back. “You’re loud, nosy, and always somewhere you don’t belong.”
I blink, stunned. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me,” he says, voice flat. “I don’t know what spell you and your little friend cast on my brothers, but it needs to end.”
Wow.
“That’s rich, coming from someone who walks around like the world owes him something,” I fire back. “If you hate people so much, why not just stay in your big, brooding mansion and leave the rest of us alone?”
He steps closer, eyes narrowing. “Because unlike you, I have responsibilities. I don’t get to play human and pretend everything’s sunshine and rainbows.”
“Right,” I scoff. “Because your life is so hard. Must be exhausting, being a walking thundercloud twenty-four-seven.”
“I don’t expect you to understand.”
“Oh, I don’t understand being disrespected, talked down to, or treated like crap by someone who thinks he’s above everyone else? Yeah, you're right, Zeus, I totally can’t relate.”
We stare at each other, breathing hard. For a second, neither of us says anything. The tension between us is thick and suffocating.
Then he mutters, “Just stay away from my brother.”
I laugh. A full, sharp, bitter laugh. “Is that what this is about? You think I’m a threat to your precious little bloodline? Please. Adrian’s a big boy. He can make his own decisions.”
“He’s reckless. And you’re a distraction.”
I grit my teeth. “You don’t know anything about me.”
“I know enough,” he says, voice low. “And I don’t trust you.”
“Good,” I snap. “Because the feeling is very, very mutual."
Another pause. His jaw ticks. He looks like he wants to say more, but instead, he just scoffs, turns around, and walks off without another word.
I stand there for a second, stunned, still holding my stupid books against my chest like a shield.
God, I hate him.
I hate how he gets under my skin. How he acts like he knows everything. Like I’m just a bug he’s waiting to crush.
But what I hate more?
The fact that even after all that, my heart is racing.
And I know exactly why.
I just have a stupid, inconvenient, absolutely terrible crush on Zeus McAlister.
Not that I’m ever going to tell him that.
I scoop up the last of my books with a huff and head to my next class, trying to ignore the way my palms are still sweaty. Zeus McAllister is officially the worst, and now he’s burned into my brain like a virus I can’t uninstall.
I push through the door and spot Iris already in her seat, elbow on the desk, cheek resting against her palm, eyes staring blankly out the window like she’s waiting for her soul to return from a long trip.
“Earth to Iris,” I say as I slide into the seat beside her. “Please tell me you’re not daydreaming about Darian again.”
She blinks slowly, like coming out of a fog, and sighs. “No. Just...thinking.”
“Mmm.” I hum dramatically, nudging her with my elbow. “Well, while you were thinking about not thinking about Darian, guess who I bumped into?”
She side-eyes me. “Adrian?”
“Nope.”
“Your step-cousin from the city who vapes and talks about crypto?”
“God, no.” I grin. “Zeus McAllister.”
Her brow rises slightly, but that’s all. No gasp. No second blink. No dramatic reaction. Just a flat, unimpressed expression.
I lean closer. “Okay, rude. That was supposed to be a moment.”
She turns her head toward me. “The McAllister boys have only ever brought us stress. Adrian was chaos on two legs, and Darian…” She trails off, looking out the window again. “Let’s just say I’m still recovering from that heartbreak.”
I nod slowly, suddenly not as eager to replay the Zeus scene. “Fair.”
“Having two of them in our lives is already two too many,” she says, voice quiet but sure. “We don’t need to go adding a third to the pile, Daisy. That house has done enough damage.”
I bite the inside of my cheek. She’s not wrong. And Zeus didn’t exactly sweep in with sunshine and charm. He’s cold, sharp, the kind of guy who makes you feel like he’s five steps ahead in a game you didn’t know you were playing.
Still…
“I’m not trying to add him to anything,” I say, maybe a little too defensive. “It was just a run-in. He knocked over my books. I yelled. He growled. End of story.”
Iris hums, skeptical. “You like him.”
DAISY
It’s been three days since Adrian walked out, pissed at both Iris and me, and things haven’t been the same since.
I understand where he’s coming from. I really do. Being left out of something as huge as a mate mark is bound to sting. But I also know how terrified Iris has been since the marking. How much of herself she’s tried to bottle up. Adrian not knowing wasn’t betrayal. It was survival.
Still, campus feels off without his chaotic energy buzzing around. Everything’s quieter. Iris has been stuck in her own head. And me? I’ve had to endure people whispering that we’ve finally been dumped by the McAlisters like it was a ticking time bomb waiting to happen.
I’m halfway to my next class, trying to keep my mind off everything, when I take a corner too fast and wham.
Books fly out of my hand and scatter across the floor.
“Seriously? Are you blind?” I snap, brushing my hair out of my face, and then I freeze.
Of course.
Zeus McAlister.
Because who else would I run into when I’m already spiraling?
He stares down at me, not even bothering to look apologetic. His eyes are cold, distant, like they always are, like I’m nothing more than a speck on the bottom of his shoe. And he says nothing.
Not a single word.
“What?” I snap. “You bump into people and then just stare at them like a statue?”
He still doesn’t answer. Instead, he bends to pick up one of my books, then flips it over like it’s a foreign object before handing it back to me. “Maybe if you watched where you were going, we wouldn’t be here.”
“Oh, so now you speak?” I snatch the book from his hand. “Could’ve used the voice five seconds ago.”
“I was giving you a moment to gather your thoughts. Clearly, you needed it.”
God. I forgot how infuriating everybody says he is.
“Listen, I don’t know what your problem is-” I begin.
“You are,” he says, stepping back. “You’re loud, nosy, and always somewhere you don’t belong.”
I blink, stunned. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me,” he says, voice flat. “I don’t know what spell you and your little friend cast on my brothers, but it needs to end.”
Wow.
“That’s rich, coming from someone who walks around like the world owes him something,” I fire back. “If you hate people so much, why not just stay in your big, brooding mansion and leave the rest of us alone?”
He steps closer, eyes narrowing. “Because unlike you, I have responsibilities. I don’t get to play human and pretend everything’s sunshine and rainbows.”
“Right,” I scoff. “Because your life is so hard. Must be exhausting, being a walking thundercloud twenty-four-seven.”
“I don’t expect you to understand.”
“Oh, I don’t understand being disrespected, talked down to, or treated like crap by someone who thinks he’s above everyone else? Yeah, you're right, Zeus, I totally can’t relate.”
We stare at each other, breathing hard. For a second, neither of us says anything. The tension between us is thick and suffocating.
Then he mutters, “Just stay away from my brother.”
I laugh. A full, sharp, bitter laugh. “Is that what this is about? You think I’m a threat to your precious little bloodline? Please. Adrian’s a big boy. He can make his own decisions.”
“He’s reckless. And you’re a distraction.”
I grit my teeth. “You don’t know anything about me.”
“I know enough,” he says, voice low. “And I don’t trust you.”
“Good,” I snap. “Because the feeling is very, very mutual."
Another pause. His jaw ticks. He looks like he wants to say more, but instead, he just scoffs, turns around, and walks off without another word.
I stand there for a second, stunned, still holding my stupid books against my chest like a shield.
God, I hate him.
I hate how he gets under my skin. How he acts like he knows everything. Like I’m just a bug he’s waiting to crush.
But what I hate more?
The fact that even after all that, my heart is racing.
And I know exactly why.
I just have a stupid, inconvenient, absolutely terrible crush on Zeus McAlister.
Not that I’m ever going to tell him that.
I scoop up the last of my books with a huff and head to my next class, trying to ignore the way my palms are still sweaty. Zeus McAllister is officially the worst, and now he’s burned into my brain like a virus I can’t uninstall.
I push through the door and spot Iris already in her seat, elbow on the desk, cheek resting against her palm, eyes staring blankly out the window like she’s waiting for her soul to return from a long trip.
“Earth to Iris,” I say as I slide into the seat beside her. “Please tell me you’re not daydreaming about Darian again.”
She blinks slowly, like coming out of a fog, and sighs. “No. Just...thinking.”
“Mmm.” I hum dramatically, nudging her with my elbow. “Well, while you were thinking about not thinking about Darian, guess who I bumped into?”
She side-eyes me. “Adrian?”
“Nope.”
“Your step-cousin from the city who vapes and talks about crypto?”
“God, no.” I grin. “Zeus McAllister.”
Her brow rises slightly, but that’s all. No gasp. No second blink. No dramatic reaction. Just a flat, unimpressed expression.
I lean closer. “Okay, rude. That was supposed to be a moment.”
She turns her head toward me. “The McAllister boys have only ever brought us stress. Adrian was chaos on two legs, and Darian…” She trails off, looking out the window again. “Let’s just say I’m still recovering from that heartbreak.”
I nod slowly, suddenly not as eager to replay the Zeus scene. “Fair.”
“Having two of them in our lives is already two too many,” she says, voice quiet but sure. “We don’t need to go adding a third to the pile, Daisy. That house has done enough damage.”
I bite the inside of my cheek. She’s not wrong. And Zeus didn’t exactly sweep in with sunshine and charm. He’s cold, sharp, the kind of guy who makes you feel like he’s five steps ahead in a game you didn’t know you were playing.
Still…
“I’m not trying to add him to anything,” I say, maybe a little too defensive. “It was just a run-in. He knocked over my books. I yelled. He growled. End of story.”
Iris hums, skeptical. “You like him.”
DAISY
It’s been three days since Adrian walked out, pissed at both Iris and me, and things haven’t been the same since.
I understand where he’s coming from. I really do. Being left out of something as huge as a mate mark is bound to sting. But I also know how terrified Iris has been since the marking. How much of herself she’s tried to bottle up. Adrian not knowing wasn’t betrayal. It was survival.
Still, campus feels off without his chaotic energy buzzing around. Everything’s quieter. Iris has been stuck in her own head. And me? I’ve had to endure people whispering that we’ve finally been dumped by the McAlisters like it was a ticking time bomb waiting to happen.
I’m halfway to my next class, trying to keep my mind off everything, when I take a corner too fast and wham.
Books fly out of my hand and scatter across the floor.
“Seriously? Are you blind?” I snap, brushing my hair out of my face, and then I freeze.
Of course.
Zeus McAlister.
Because who else would I run into when I’m already spiraling?
He stares down at me, not even bothering to look apologetic. His eyes are cold, distant, like they always are, like I’m nothing more than a speck on the bottom of his shoe. And he says nothing.
Not a single word.
“What?” I snap. “You bump into people and then just stare at them like a statue?”
He still doesn’t answer. Instead, he bends to pick up one of my books, then flips it over like it’s a foreign object before handing it back to me. “Maybe if you watched where you were going, we wouldn’t be here.”
“Oh, so now you speak?” I snatch the book from his hand. “Could’ve used the voice five seconds ago.”
“I was giving you a moment to gather your thoughts. Clearly, you needed it.”
God. I forgot how infuriating everybody says he is.
“Listen, I don’t know what your problem is-” I begin.
“You are,” he says, stepping back. “You’re loud, nosy, and always somewhere you don’t belong.”
I blink, stunned. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me,” he says, voice flat. “I don’t know what spell you and your little friend cast on my brothers, but it needs to end.”
Wow.
“That’s rich, coming from someone who walks around like the world owes him something,” I fire back. “If you hate people so much, why not just stay in your big, brooding mansion and leave the rest of us alone?”
He steps closer, eyes narrowing. “Because unlike you, I have responsibilities. I don’t get to play human and pretend everything’s sunshine and rainbows.”
“Right,” I scoff. “Because your life is so hard. Must be exhausting, being a walking thundercloud twenty-four-seven.”
“I don’t expect you to understand.”
“Oh, I don’t understand being disrespected, talked down to, or treated like crap by someone who thinks he’s above everyone else? Yeah, you're right, Zeus, I totally can’t relate.”
We stare at each other, breathing hard. For a second, neither of us says anything. The tension between us is thick and suffocating.
Then he mutters, “Just stay away from my brother.”
I laugh. A full, sharp, bitter laugh. “Is that what this is about? You think I’m a threat to your precious little bloodline? Please. Adrian’s a big boy. He can make his own decisions.”
“He’s reckless. And you’re a distraction.”
I grit my teeth. “You don’t know anything about me.”
“I know enough,” he says, voice low. “And I don’t trust you.”
“Good,” I snap. “Because the feeling is very, very mutual."
Another pause. His jaw ticks. He looks like he wants to say more, but instead, he just scoffs, turns around, and walks off without another word.
I stand there for a second, stunned, still holding my stupid books against my chest like a shield.
God, I hate him.
I hate how he gets under my skin. How he acts like he knows everything. Like I’m just a bug he’s waiting to crush.
But what I hate more?
The fact that even after all that, my heart is racing.
And I know exactly why.
I just have a stupid, inconvenient, absolutely terrible crush on Zeus McAlister.
Not that I’m ever going to tell him that.
I scoop up the last of my books with a huff and head to my next class, trying to ignore the way my palms are still sweaty. Zeus McAllister is officially the worst, and now he’s burned into my brain like a virus I can’t uninstall.
I push through the door and spot Iris already in her seat, elbow on the desk, cheek resting against her palm, eyes staring blankly out the window like she’s waiting for her soul to return from a long trip.
“Earth to Iris,” I say as I slide into the seat beside her. “Please tell me you’re not daydreaming about Darian again.”
She blinks slowly, like coming out of a fog, and sighs. “No. Just...thinking.”
“Mmm.” I hum dramatically, nudging her with my elbow. “Well, while you were thinking about not thinking about Darian, guess who I bumped into?”
She side-eyes me. “Adrian?”
“Nope.”
“Your step-cousin from the city who vapes and talks about crypto?”
“God, no.” I grin. “Zeus McAllister.”
Her brow rises slightly, but that’s all. No gasp. No second blink. No dramatic reaction. Just a flat, unimpressed expression.
I lean closer. “Okay, rude. That was supposed to be a moment.”
She turns her head toward me. “The McAllister boys have only ever brought us stress. Adrian was chaos on two legs, and Darian…” She trails off, looking out the window again. “Let’s just say I’m still recovering from that heartbreak.”
I nod slowly, suddenly not as eager to replay the Zeus scene. “Fair.”
“Having two of them in our lives is already two too many,” she says, voice quiet but sure. “We don’t need to go adding a third to the pile, Daisy. That house has done enough damage.”
I bite the inside of my cheek. She’s not wrong. And Zeus didn’t exactly sweep in with sunshine and charm. He’s cold, sharp, the kind of guy who makes you feel like he’s five steps ahead in a game you didn’t know you were playing.
Still…
“I’m not trying to add him to anything,” I say, maybe a little too defensive. “It was just a run-in. He knocked over my books. I yelled. He growled. End of story.”
Iris hums, skeptical. “You like him.”
DAISY
It’s been three days since Adrian walked out, pissed at both Iris and me, and things haven’t been the same since.
I understand where he’s coming from. I really do. Being left out of something as huge as a mate mark is bound to sting. But I also know how terrified Iris has been since the marking. How much of herself she’s tried to bottle up. Adrian not knowing wasn’t betrayal. It was survival.
Still, campus feels off without his chaotic energy buzzing around. Everything’s quieter. Iris has been stuck in her own head. And me? I’ve had to endure people whispering that we’ve finally been dumped by the McAlisters like it was a ticking time bomb waiting to happen.
I’m halfway to my next class, trying to keep my mind off everything, when I take a corner too fast and wham.
Books fly out of my hand and scatter across the floor.
“Seriously? Are you blind?” I snap, brushing my hair out of my face, and then I freeze.
Of course.
Zeus McAlister.
Because who else would I run into when I’m already spiraling?
He stares down at me, not even bothering to look apologetic. His eyes are cold, distant, like they always are, like I’m nothing more than a speck on the bottom of his shoe. And he says nothing.
Not a single word.
“What?” I snap. “You bump into people and then just stare at them like a statue?”
He still doesn’t answer. Instead, he bends to pick up one of my books, then flips it over like it’s a foreign object before handing it back to me. “Maybe if you watched where you were going, we wouldn’t be here.”
“Oh, so now you speak?” I snatch the book from his hand. “Could’ve used the voice five seconds ago.”
“I was giving you a moment to gather your thoughts. Clearly, you needed it.”
God. I forgot how infuriating everybody says he is.
“Listen, I don’t know what your problem is-” I begin.
“You are,” he says, stepping back. “You’re loud, nosy, and always somewhere you don’t belong.”
I blink, stunned. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me,” he says, voice flat. “I don’t know what spell you and your little friend cast on my brothers, but it needs to end.”
Wow.
“That’s rich, coming from someone who walks around like the world owes him something,” I fire back. “If you hate people so much, why not just stay in your big, brooding mansion and leave the rest of us alone?”
He steps closer, eyes narrowing. “Because unlike you, I have responsibilities. I don’t get to play human and pretend everything’s sunshine and rainbows.”
“Right,” I scoff. “Because your life is so hard. Must be exhausting, being a walking thundercloud twenty-four-seven.”
“I don’t expect you to understand.”
“Oh, I don’t understand being disrespected, talked down to, or treated like crap by someone who thinks he’s above everyone else? Yeah, you're right, Zeus, I totally can’t relate.”
We stare at each other, breathing hard. For a second, neither of us says anything. The tension between us is thick and suffocating.
Then he mutters, “Just stay away from my brother.”
I laugh. A full, sharp, bitter laugh. “Is that what this is about? You think I’m a threat to your precious little bloodline? Please. Adrian’s a big boy. He can make his own decisions.”
“He’s reckless. And you’re a distraction.”
I grit my teeth. “You don’t know anything about me.”
“I know enough,” he says, voice low. “And I don’t trust you.”
“Good,” I snap. “Because the feeling is very, very mutual."
Another pause. His jaw ticks. He looks like he wants to say more, but instead, he just scoffs, turns around, and walks off without another word.
I stand there for a second, stunned, still holding my stupid books against my chest like a shield.
God, I hate him.
I hate how he gets under my skin. How he acts like he knows everything. Like I’m just a bug he’s waiting to crush.
But what I hate more?
The fact that even after all that, my heart is racing.
And I know exactly why.
I just have a stupid, inconvenient, absolutely terrible crush on Zeus McAlister.
Not that I’m ever going to tell him that.
I scoop up the last of my books with a huff and head to my next class, trying to ignore the way my palms are still sweaty. Zeus McAllister is officially the worst, and now he’s burned into my brain like a virus I can’t uninstall.
I push through the door and spot Iris already in her seat, elbow on the desk, cheek resting against her palm, eyes staring blankly out the window like she’s waiting for her soul to return from a long trip.
“Earth to Iris,” I say as I slide into the seat beside her. “Please tell me you’re not daydreaming about Darian again.”
She blinks slowly, like coming out of a fog, and sighs. “No. Just...thinking.”
“Mmm.” I hum dramatically, nudging her with my elbow. “Well, while you were thinking about not thinking about Darian, guess who I bumped into?”
She side-eyes me. “Adrian?”
“Nope.”
“Your step-cousin from the city who vapes and talks about crypto?”
“God, no.” I grin. “Zeus McAllister.”
Her brow rises slightly, but that’s all. No gasp. No second blink. No dramatic reaction. Just a flat, unimpressed expression.
I lean closer. “Okay, rude. That was supposed to be a moment.”
She turns her head toward me. “The McAllister boys have only ever brought us stress. Adrian was chaos on two legs, and Darian…” She trails off, looking out the window again. “Let’s just say I’m still recovering from that heartbreak.”
I nod slowly, suddenly not as eager to replay the Zeus scene. “Fair.”
“Having two of them in our lives is already two too many,” she says, voice quiet but sure. “We don’t need to go adding a third to the pile, Daisy. That house has done enough damage.”
I bite the inside of my cheek. She’s not wrong. And Zeus didn’t exactly sweep in with sunshine and charm. He’s cold, sharp, the kind of guy who makes you feel like he’s five steps ahead in a game you didn’t know you were playing.
Still…
“I’m not trying to add him to anything,” I say, maybe a little too defensive. “It was just a run-in. He knocked over my books. I yelled. He growled. End of story.”
Iris hums, skeptical. “You like him.”
DAISY
It’s been three days since Adrian walked out, pissed at both Iris and me, and things haven’t been the same since.
I understand where he’s coming from. I really do. Being left out of something as huge as a mate mark is bound to sting. But I also know how terrified Iris has been since the marking. How much of herself she’s tried to bottle up. Adrian not knowing wasn’t betrayal. It was survival.
Still, campus feels off without his chaotic energy buzzing around. Everything’s quieter. Iris has been stuck in her own head. And me? I’ve had to endure people whispering that we’ve finally been dumped by the McAlisters like it was a ticking time bomb waiting to happen.
I’m halfway to my next class, trying to keep my mind off everything, when I take a corner too fast and wham.
Books fly out of my hand and scatter across the floor.
“Seriously? Are you blind?” I snap, brushing my hair out of my face, and then I freeze.
Of course.
Zeus McAlister.
Because who else would I run into when I’m already spiraling?
He stares down at me, not even bothering to look apologetic. His eyes are cold, distant, like they always are, like I’m nothing more than a speck on the bottom of his shoe. And he says nothing.
Not a single word.
“What?” I snap. “You bump into people and then just stare at them like a statue?”
He still doesn’t answer. Instead, he bends to pick up one of my books, then flips it over like it’s a foreign object before handing it back to me. “Maybe if you watched where you were going, we wouldn’t be here.”
“Oh, so now you speak?” I snatch the book from his hand. “Could’ve used the voice five seconds ago.”
“I was giving you a moment to gather your thoughts. Clearly, you needed it.”
God. I forgot how infuriating everybody says he is.
“Listen, I don’t know what your problem is-” I begin.
“You are,” he says, stepping back. “You’re loud, nosy, and always somewhere you don’t belong.”
I blink, stunned. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me,” he says, voice flat. “I don’t know what spell you and your little friend cast on my brothers, but it needs to end.”
Wow.
“That’s rich, coming from someone who walks around like the world owes him something,” I fire back. “If you hate people so much, why not just stay in your big, brooding mansion and leave the rest of us alone?”
He steps closer, eyes narrowing. “Because unlike you, I have responsibilities. I don’t get to play human and pretend everything’s sunshine and rainbows.”
“Right,” I scoff. “Because your life is so hard. Must be exhausting, being a walking thundercloud twenty-four-seven.”
“I don’t expect you to understand.”
“Oh, I don’t understand being disrespected, talked down to, or treated like crap by someone who thinks he’s above everyone else? Yeah, you're right, Zeus, I totally can’t relate.”
We stare at each other, breathing hard. For a second, neither of us says anything. The tension between us is thick and suffocating.
Then he mutters, “Just stay away from my brother.”
I laugh. A full, sharp, bitter laugh. “Is that what this is about? You think I’m a threat to your precious little bloodline? Please. Adrian’s a big boy. He can make his own decisions.”
“He’s reckless. And you’re a distraction.”
I grit my teeth. “You don’t know anything about me.”
“I know enough,” he says, voice low. “And I don’t trust you.”
“Good,” I snap. “Because the feeling is very, very mutual."
Another pause. His jaw ticks. He looks like he wants to say more, but instead, he just scoffs, turns around, and walks off without another word.
I stand there for a second, stunned, still holding my stupid books against my chest like a shield.
God, I hate him.
I hate how he gets under my skin. How he acts like he knows everything. Like I’m just a bug he’s waiting to crush.
But what I hate more?
The fact that even after all that, my heart is racing.
And I know exactly why.
I just have a stupid, inconvenient, absolutely terrible crush on Zeus McAlister.
Not that I’m ever going to tell him that.
I scoop up the last of my books with a huff and head to my next class, trying to ignore the way my palms are still sweaty. Zeus McAllister is officially the worst, and now he’s burned into my brain like a virus I can’t uninstall.
I push through the door and spot Iris already in her seat, elbow on the desk, cheek resting against her palm, eyes staring blankly out the window like she’s waiting for her soul to return from a long trip.
“Earth to Iris,” I say as I slide into the seat beside her. “Please tell me you’re not daydreaming about Darian again.”
She blinks slowly, like coming out of a fog, and sighs. “No. Just...thinking.”
“Mmm.” I hum dramatically, nudging her with my elbow. “Well, while you were thinking about not thinking about Darian, guess who I bumped into?”
She side-eyes me. “Adrian?”
“Nope.”
“Your step-cousin from the city who vapes and talks about crypto?”
“God, no.” I grin. “Zeus McAllister.”
Her brow rises slightly, but that’s all. No gasp. No second blink. No dramatic reaction. Just a flat, unimpressed expression.
I lean closer. “Okay, rude. That was supposed to be a moment.”
She turns her head toward me. “The McAllister boys have only ever brought us stress. Adrian was chaos on two legs, and Darian…” She trails off, looking out the window again. “Let’s just say I’m still recovering from that heartbreak.”
I nod slowly, suddenly not as eager to replay the Zeus scene. “Fair.”
“Having two of them in our lives is already two too many,” she says, voice quiet but sure. “We don’t need to go adding a third to the pile, Daisy. That house has done enough damage.”
I bite the inside of my cheek. She’s not wrong. And Zeus didn’t exactly sweep in with sunshine and charm. He’s cold, sharp, the kind of guy who makes you feel like he’s five steps ahead in a game you didn’t know you were playing.
Still…
“I’m not trying to add him to anything,” I say, maybe a little too defensive. “It was just a run-in. He knocked over my books. I yelled. He growled. End of story.”
Iris hums, skeptical. “You like him.”
DAISY
It’s been three days since Adrian walked out, pissed at both Iris and me, and things haven’t been the same since.
I understand where he’s coming from. I really do. Being left out of something as huge as a mate mark is bound to sting. But I also know how terrified Iris has been since the marking. How much of herself she’s tried to bottle up. Adrian not knowing wasn’t betrayal. It was survival.
Still, campus feels off without his chaotic energy buzzing around. Everything’s quieter. Iris has been stuck in her own head. And me? I’ve had to endure people whispering that we’ve finally been dumped by the McAlisters like it was a ticking time bomb waiting to happen.
I’m halfway to my next class, trying to keep my mind off everything, when I take a corner too fast and wham.
Books fly out of my hand and scatter across the floor.
“Seriously? Are you blind?” I snap, brushing my hair out of my face, and then I freeze.
Of course.
Zeus McAlister.
Because who else would I run into when I’m already spiraling?
He stares down at me, not even bothering to look apologetic. His eyes are cold, distant, like they always are, like I’m nothing more than a speck on the bottom of his shoe. And he says nothing.
Not a single word.
“What?” I snap. “You bump into people and then just stare at them like a statue?”
He still doesn’t answer. Instead, he bends to pick up one of my books, then flips it over like it’s a foreign object before handing it back to me. “Maybe if you watched where you were going, we wouldn’t be here.”
“Oh, so now you speak?” I snatch the book from his hand. “Could’ve used the voice five seconds ago.”
“I was giving you a moment to gather your thoughts. Clearly, you needed it.”
God. I forgot how infuriating everybody says he is.
“Listen, I don’t know what your problem is-” I begin.
“You are,” he says, stepping back. “You’re loud, nosy, and always somewhere you don’t belong.”
I blink, stunned. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me,” he says, voice flat. “I don’t know what spell you and your little friend cast on my brothers, but it needs to end.”
Wow.
“That’s rich, coming from someone who walks around like the world owes him something,” I fire back. “If you hate people so much, why not just stay in your big, brooding mansion and leave the rest of us alone?”
He steps closer, eyes narrowing. “Because unlike you, I have responsibilities. I don’t get to play human and pretend everything’s sunshine and rainbows.”
“Right,” I scoff. “Because your life is so hard. Must be exhausting, being a walking thundercloud twenty-four-seven.”
“I don’t expect you to understand.”
“Oh, I don’t understand being disrespected, talked down to, or treated like crap by someone who thinks he’s above everyone else? Yeah, you're right, Zeus, I totally can’t relate.”
We stare at each other, breathing hard. For a second, neither of us says anything. The tension between us is thick and suffocating.
Then he mutters, “Just stay away from my brother.”
I laugh. A full, sharp, bitter laugh. “Is that what this is about? You think I’m a threat to your precious little bloodline? Please. Adrian’s a big boy. He can make his own decisions.”
“He’s reckless. And you’re a distraction.”
I grit my teeth. “You don’t know anything about me.”
“I know enough,” he says, voice low. “And I don’t trust you.”
“Good,” I snap. “Because the feeling is very, very mutual."
Another pause. His jaw ticks. He looks like he wants to say more, but instead, he just scoffs, turns around, and walks off without another word.
I stand there for a second, stunned, still holding my stupid books against my chest like a shield.
God, I hate him.
I hate how he gets under my skin. How he acts like he knows everything. Like I’m just a bug he’s waiting to crush.
But what I hate more?
The fact that even after all that, my heart is racing.
And I know exactly why.
I just have a stupid, inconvenient, absolutely terrible crush on Zeus McAlister.
Not that I’m ever going to tell him that.
I scoop up the last of my books with a huff and head to my next class, trying to ignore the way my palms are still sweaty. Zeus McAllister is officially the worst, and now he’s burned into my brain like a virus I can’t uninstall.
I push through the door and spot Iris already in her seat, elbow on the desk, cheek resting against her palm, eyes staring blankly out the window like she’s waiting for her soul to return from a long trip.
“Earth to Iris,” I say as I slide into the seat beside her. “Please tell me you’re not daydreaming about Darian again.”
She blinks slowly, like coming out of a fog, and sighs. “No. Just...thinking.”
“Mmm.” I hum dramatically, nudging her with my elbow. “Well, while you were thinking about not thinking about Darian, guess who I bumped into?”
She side-eyes me. “Adrian?”
“Nope.”
“Your step-cousin from the city who vapes and talks about crypto?”
“God, no.” I grin. “Zeus McAllister.”
Her brow rises slightly, but that’s all. No gasp. No second blink. No dramatic reaction. Just a flat, unimpressed expression.
I lean closer. “Okay, rude. That was supposed to be a moment.”
She turns her head toward me. “The McAllister boys have only ever brought us stress. Adrian was chaos on two legs, and Darian…” She trails off, looking out the window again. “Let’s just say I’m still recovering from that heartbreak.”
I nod slowly, suddenly not as eager to replay the Zeus scene. “Fair.”
“Having two of them in our lives is already two too many,” she says, voice quiet but sure. “We don’t need to go adding a third to the pile, Daisy. That house has done enough damage.”
I bite the inside of my cheek. She’s not wrong. And Zeus didn’t exactly sweep in with sunshine and charm. He’s cold, sharp, the kind of guy who makes you feel like he’s five steps ahead in a game you didn’t know you were playing.
Still…
“I’m not trying to add him to anything,” I say, maybe a little too defensive. “It was just a run-in. He knocked over my books. I yelled. He growled. End of story.”
Iris hums, skeptical. “You like him.”
DAISY
It’s been three days since Adrian walked out, pissed at both Iris and me, and things haven’t been the same since.
I understand where he’s coming from. I really do. Being left out of something as huge as a mate mark is bound to sting. But I also know how terrified Iris has been since the marking. How much of herself she’s tried to bottle up. Adrian not knowing wasn’t betrayal. It was survival.
Still, campus feels off without his chaotic energy buzzing around. Everything’s quieter. Iris has been stuck in her own head. And me? I’ve had to endure people whispering that we’ve finally been dumped by the McAlisters like it was a ticking time bomb waiting to happen.
I’m halfway to my next class, trying to keep my mind off everything, when I take a corner too fast and wham.
Books fly out of my hand and scatter across the floor.
“Seriously? Are you blind?” I snap, brushing my hair out of my face, and then I freeze.
Of course.
Zeus McAlister.
Because who else would I run into when I’m already spiraling?
He stares down at me, not even bothering to look apologetic. His eyes are cold, distant, like they always are, like I’m nothing more than a speck on the bottom of his shoe. And he says nothing.
Not a single word.
“What?” I snap. “You bump into people and then just stare at them like a statue?”
He still doesn’t answer. Instead, he bends to pick up one of my books, then flips it over like it’s a foreign object before handing it back to me. “Maybe if you watched where you were going, we wouldn’t be here.”
“Oh, so now you speak?” I snatch the book from his hand. “Could’ve used the voice five seconds ago.”
“I was giving you a moment to gather your thoughts. Clearly, you needed it.”
God. I forgot how infuriating everybody says he is.
“Listen, I don’t know what your problem is-” I begin.
“You are,” he says, stepping back. “You’re loud, nosy, and always somewhere you don’t belong.”
I blink, stunned. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me,” he says, voice flat. “I don’t know what spell you and your little friend cast on my brothers, but it needs to end.”
Wow.
“That’s rich, coming from someone who walks around like the world owes him something,” I fire back. “If you hate people so much, why not just stay in your big, brooding mansion and leave the rest of us alone?”
He steps closer, eyes narrowing. “Because unlike you, I have responsibilities. I don’t get to play human and pretend everything’s sunshine and rainbows.”
“Right,” I scoff. “Because your life is so hard. Must be exhausting, being a walking thundercloud twenty-four-seven.”
“I don’t expect you to understand.”
“Oh, I don’t understand being disrespected, talked down to, or treated like crap by someone who thinks he’s above everyone else? Yeah, you're right, Zeus, I totally can’t relate.”
We stare at each other, breathing hard. For a second, neither of us says anything. The tension between us is thick and suffocating.
Then he mutters, “Just stay away from my brother.”
I laugh. A full, sharp, bitter laugh. “Is that what this is about? You think I’m a threat to your precious little bloodline? Please. Adrian’s a big boy. He can make his own decisions.”
“He’s reckless. And you’re a distraction.”
I grit my teeth. “You don’t know anything about me.”
“I know enough,” he says, voice low. “And I don’t trust you.”
“Good,” I snap. “Because the feeling is very, very mutual."
Another pause. His jaw ticks. He looks like he wants to say more, but instead, he just scoffs, turns around, and walks off without another word.
I stand there for a second, stunned, still holding my stupid books against my chest like a shield.
God, I hate him.
I hate how he gets under my skin. How he acts like he knows everything. Like I’m just a bug he’s waiting to crush.
But what I hate more?
The fact that even after all that, my heart is racing.
And I know exactly why.
I just have a stupid, inconvenient, absolutely terrible crush on Zeus McAlister.
Not that I’m ever going to tell him that.
I scoop up the last of my books with a huff and head to my next class, trying to ignore the way my palms are still sweaty. Zeus McAllister is officially the worst, and now he’s burned into my brain like a virus I can’t uninstall.
I push through the door and spot Iris already in her seat, elbow on the desk, cheek resting against her palm, eyes staring blankly out the window like she’s waiting for her soul to return from a long trip.
“Earth to Iris,” I say as I slide into the seat beside her. “Please tell me you’re not daydreaming about Darian again.”
She blinks slowly, like coming out of a fog, and sighs. “No. Just...thinking.”
“Mmm.” I hum dramatically, nudging her with my elbow. “Well, while you were thinking about not thinking about Darian, guess who I bumped into?”
She side-eyes me. “Adrian?”
“Nope.”
“Your step-cousin from the city who vapes and talks about crypto?”
“God, no.” I grin. “Zeus McAllister.”
Her brow rises slightly, but that’s all. No gasp. No second blink. No dramatic reaction. Just a flat, unimpressed expression.
I lean closer. “Okay, rude. That was supposed to be a moment.”
She turns her head toward me. “The McAllister boys have only ever brought us stress. Adrian was chaos on two legs, and Darian…” She trails off, looking out the window again. “Let’s just say I’m still recovering from that heartbreak.”
I nod slowly, suddenly not as eager to replay the Zeus scene. “Fair.”
“Having two of them in our lives is already two too many,” she says, voice quiet but sure. “We don’t need to go adding a third to the pile, Daisy. That house has done enough damage.”
I bite the inside of my cheek. She’s not wrong. And Zeus didn’t exactly sweep in with sunshine and charm. He’s cold, sharp, the kind of guy who makes you feel like he’s five steps ahead in a game you didn’t know you were playing.
Still…
“I’m not trying to add him to anything,” I say, maybe a little too defensive. “It was just a run-in. He knocked over my books. I yelled. He growled. End of story.”
Iris hums, skeptical. “You like him.”
DAISY
It’s been three days since Adrian walked out, pissed at both Iris and me, and things haven’t been the same since.
I understand where he’s coming from. I really do. Being left out of something as huge as a mate mark is bound to sting. But I also know how terrified Iris has been since the marking. How much of herself she’s tried to bottle up. Adrian not knowing wasn’t betrayal. It was survival.
Still, campus feels off without his chaotic energy buzzing around. Everything’s quieter. Iris has been stuck in her own head. And me? I’ve had to endure people whispering that we’ve finally been dumped by the McAlisters like it was a ticking time bomb waiting to happen.
I’m halfway to my next class, trying to keep my mind off everything, when I take a corner too fast and wham.
Books fly out of my hand and scatter across the floor.
“Seriously? Are you blind?” I snap, brushing my hair out of my face, and then I freeze.
Of course.
Zeus McAlister.
Because who else would I run into when I’m already spiraling?
He stares down at me, not even bothering to look apologetic. His eyes are cold, distant, like they always are, like I’m nothing more than a speck on the bottom of his shoe. And he says nothing.
Not a single word.
“What?” I snap. “You bump into people and then just stare at them like a statue?”
He still doesn’t answer. Instead, he bends to pick up one of my books, then flips it over like it’s a foreign object before handing it back to me. “Maybe if you watched where you were going, we wouldn’t be here.”
“Oh, so now you speak?” I snatch the book from his hand. “Could’ve used the voice five seconds ago.”
“I was giving you a moment to gather your thoughts. Clearly, you needed it.”
God. I forgot how infuriating everybody says he is.
“Listen, I don’t know what your problem is-” I begin.
“You are,” he says, stepping back. “You’re loud, nosy, and always somewhere you don’t belong.”
I blink, stunned. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me,” he says, voice flat. “I don’t know what spell you and your little friend cast on my brothers, but it needs to end.”
Wow.
“That’s rich, coming from someone who walks around like the world owes him something,” I fire back. “If you hate people so much, why not just stay in your big, brooding mansion and leave the rest of us alone?”
He steps closer, eyes narrowing. “Because unlike you, I have responsibilities. I don’t get to play human and pretend everything’s sunshine and rainbows.”
“Right,” I scoff. “Because your life is so hard. Must be exhausting, being a walking thundercloud twenty-four-seven.”
“I don’t expect you to understand.”
“Oh, I don’t understand being disrespected, talked down to, or treated like crap by someone who thinks he’s above everyone else? Yeah, you're right, Zeus, I totally can’t relate.”
We stare at each other, breathing hard. For a second, neither of us says anything. The tension between us is thick and suffocating.
Then he mutters, “Just stay away from my brother.”
I laugh. A full, sharp, bitter laugh. “Is that what this is about? You think I’m a threat to your precious little bloodline? Please. Adrian’s a big boy. He can make his own decisions.”
“He’s reckless. And you’re a distraction.”
I grit my teeth. “You don’t know anything about me.”
“I know enough,” he says, voice low. “And I don’t trust you.”
“Good,” I snap. “Because the feeling is very, very mutual."
Another pause. His jaw ticks. He looks like he wants to say more, but instead, he just scoffs, turns around, and walks off without another word.
I stand there for a second, stunned, still holding my stupid books against my chest like a shield.
God, I hate him.
I hate how he gets under my skin. How he acts like he knows everything. Like I’m just a bug he’s waiting to crush.
But what I hate more?
The fact that even after all that, my heart is racing.
And I know exactly why.
I just have a stupid, inconvenient, absolutely terrible crush on Zeus McAlister.
Not that I’m ever going to tell him that.
I scoop up the last of my books with a huff and head to my next class, trying to ignore the way my palms are still sweaty. Zeus McAllister is officially the worst, and now he’s burned into my brain like a virus I can’t uninstall.
I push through the door and spot Iris already in her seat, elbow on the desk, cheek resting against her palm, eyes staring blankly out the window like she’s waiting for her soul to return from a long trip.
“Earth to Iris,” I say as I slide into the seat beside her. “Please tell me you’re not daydreaming about Darian again.”
She blinks slowly, like coming out of a fog, and sighs. “No. Just...thinking.”
“Mmm.” I hum dramatically, nudging her with my elbow. “Well, while you were thinking about not thinking about Darian, guess who I bumped into?”
She side-eyes me. “Adrian?”
“Nope.”
“Your step-cousin from the city who vapes and talks about crypto?”
“God, no.” I grin. “Zeus McAllister.”
Her brow rises slightly, but that’s all. No gasp. No second blink. No dramatic reaction. Just a flat, unimpressed expression.
I lean closer. “Okay, rude. That was supposed to be a moment.”
She turns her head toward me. “The McAllister boys have only ever brought us stress. Adrian was chaos on two legs, and Darian…” She trails off, looking out the window again. “Let’s just say I’m still recovering from that heartbreak.”
I nod slowly, suddenly not as eager to replay the Zeus scene. “Fair.”
“Having two of them in our lives is already two too many,” she says, voice quiet but sure. “We don’t need to go adding a third to the pile, Daisy. That house has done enough damage.”
I bite the inside of my cheek. She’s not wrong. And Zeus didn’t exactly sweep in with sunshine and charm. He’s cold, sharp, the kind of guy who makes you feel like he’s five steps ahead in a game you didn’t know you were playing.
Still…
“I’m not trying to add him to anything,” I say, maybe a little too defensive. “It was just a run-in. He knocked over my books. I yelled. He growled. End of story.”
Iris hums, skeptical. “You like him.”
DAISY
It’s been three days since Adrian walked out, pissed at both Iris and me, and things haven’t been the same since.
I understand where he’s coming from. I really do. Being left out of something as huge as a mate mark is bound to sting. But I also know how terrified Iris has been since the marking. How much of herself she’s tried to bottle up. Adrian not knowing wasn’t betrayal. It was survival.
Still, campus feels off without his chaotic energy buzzing around. Everything’s quieter. Iris has been stuck in her own head. And me? I’ve had to endure people whispering that we’ve finally been dumped by the McAlisters like it was a ticking time bomb waiting to happen.
I’m halfway to my next class, trying to keep my mind off everything, when I take a corner too fast and wham.
Books fly out of my hand and scatter across the floor.
“Seriously? Are you blind?” I snap, brushing my hair out of my face, and then I freeze.
Of course.
Zeus McAlister.
Because who else would I run into when I’m already spiraling?
He stares down at me, not even bothering to look apologetic. His eyes are cold, distant, like they always are, like I’m nothing more than a speck on the bottom of his shoe. And he says nothing.
Not a single word.
“What?” I snap. “You bump into people and then just stare at them like a statue?”
He still doesn’t answer. Instead, he bends to pick up one of my books, then flips it over like it’s a foreign object before handing it back to me. “Maybe if you watched where you were going, we wouldn’t be here.”
“Oh, so now you speak?” I snatch the book from his hand. “Could’ve used the voice five seconds ago.”
“I was giving you a moment to gather your thoughts. Clearly, you needed it.”
God. I forgot how infuriating everybody says he is.
“Listen, I don’t know what your problem is-” I begin.
“You are,” he says, stepping back. “You’re loud, nosy, and always somewhere you don’t belong.”
I blink, stunned. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me,” he says, voice flat. “I don’t know what spell you and your little friend cast on my brothers, but it needs to end.”
Wow.
“That’s rich, coming from someone who walks around like the world owes him something,” I fire back. “If you hate people so much, why not just stay in your big, brooding mansion and leave the rest of us alone?”
He steps closer, eyes narrowing. “Because unlike you, I have responsibilities. I don’t get to play human and pretend everything’s sunshine and rainbows.”
“Right,” I scoff. “Because your life is so hard. Must be exhausting, being a walking thundercloud twenty-four-seven.”
“I don’t expect you to understand.”
“Oh, I don’t understand being disrespected, talked down to, or treated like crap by someone who thinks he’s above everyone else? Yeah, you're right, Zeus, I totally can’t relate.”
We stare at each other, breathing hard. For a second, neither of us says anything. The tension between us is thick and suffocating.
Then he mutters, “Just stay away from my brother.”
I laugh. A full, sharp, bitter laugh. “Is that what this is about? You think I’m a threat to your precious little bloodline? Please. Adrian’s a big boy. He can make his own decisions.”
“He’s reckless. And you’re a distraction.”
I grit my teeth. “You don’t know anything about me.”
“I know enough,” he says, voice low. “And I don’t trust you.”
“Good,” I snap. “Because the feeling is very, very mutual."
Another pause. His jaw ticks. He looks like he wants to say more, but instead, he just scoffs, turns around, and walks off without another word.
I stand there for a second, stunned, still holding my stupid books against my chest like a shield.
God, I hate him.
I hate how he gets under my skin. How he acts like he knows everything. Like I’m just a bug he’s waiting to crush.
But what I hate more?
The fact that even after all that, my heart is racing.
And I know exactly why.
I just have a stupid, inconvenient, absolutely terrible crush on Zeus McAlister.
Not that I’m ever going to tell him that.
I scoop up the last of my books with a huff and head to my next class, trying to ignore the way my palms are still sweaty. Zeus McAllister is officially the worst, and now he’s burned into my brain like a virus I can’t uninstall.
I push through the door and spot Iris already in her seat, elbow on the desk, cheek resting against her palm, eyes staring blankly out the window like she’s waiting for her soul to return from a long trip.
“Earth to Iris,” I say as I slide into the seat beside her. “Please tell me you’re not daydreaming about Darian again.”
She blinks slowly, like coming out of a fog, and sighs. “No. Just...thinking.”
“Mmm.” I hum dramatically, nudging her with my elbow. “Well, while you were thinking about not thinking about Darian, guess who I bumped into?”
She side-eyes me. “Adrian?”
“Nope.”
“Your step-cousin from the city who vapes and talks about crypto?”
“God, no.” I grin. “Zeus McAllister.”
Her brow rises slightly, but that’s all. No gasp. No second blink. No dramatic reaction. Just a flat, unimpressed expression.
I lean closer. “Okay, rude. That was supposed to be a moment.”
She turns her head toward me. “The McAllister boys have only ever brought us stress. Adrian was chaos on two legs, and Darian…” She trails off, looking out the window again. “Let’s just say I’m still recovering from that heartbreak.”
I nod slowly, suddenly not as eager to replay the Zeus scene. “Fair.”
“Having two of them in our lives is already two too many,” she says, voice quiet but sure. “We don’t need to go adding a third to the pile, Daisy. That house has done enough damage.”
I bite the inside of my cheek. She’s not wrong. And Zeus didn’t exactly sweep in with sunshine and charm. He’s cold, sharp, the kind of guy who makes you feel like he’s five steps ahead in a game you didn’t know you were playing.
Still…
“I’m not trying to add him to anything,” I say, maybe a little too defensive. “It was just a run-in. He knocked over my books. I yelled. He growled. End of story.”
Iris hums, skeptical. “You like him.”
DAISY
It’s been three days since Adrian walked out, pissed at both Iris and me, and things haven’t been the same since.
I understand where he’s coming from. I really do. Being left out of something as huge as a mate mark is bound to sting. But I also know how terrified Iris has been since the marking. How much of herself she’s tried to bottle up. Adrian not knowing wasn’t betrayal. It was survival.
Still, campus feels off without his chaotic energy buzzing around. Everything’s quieter. Iris has been stuck in her own head. And me? I’ve had to endure people whispering that we’ve finally been dumped by the McAlisters like it was a ticking time bomb waiting to happen.
I’m halfway to my next class, trying to keep my mind off everything, when I take a corner too fast and wham.
Books fly out of my hand and scatter across the floor.
“Seriously? Are you blind?” I snap, brushing my hair out of my face, and then I freeze.
Of course.
Zeus McAlister.
Because who else would I run into when I’m already spiraling?
He stares down at me, not even bothering to look apologetic. His eyes are cold, distant, like they always are, like I’m nothing more than a speck on the bottom of his shoe. And he says nothing.
Not a single word.
“What?” I snap. “You bump into people and then just stare at them like a statue?”
He still doesn’t answer. Instead, he bends to pick up one of my books, then flips it over like it’s a foreign object before handing it back to me. “Maybe if you watched where you were going, we wouldn’t be here.”
“Oh, so now you speak?” I snatch the book from his hand. “Could’ve used the voice five seconds ago.”
“I was giving you a moment to gather your thoughts. Clearly, you needed it.”
God. I forgot how infuriating everybody says he is.
“Listen, I don’t know what your problem is-” I begin.
“You are,” he says, stepping back. “You’re loud, nosy, and always somewhere you don’t belong.”
I blink, stunned. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me,” he says, voice flat. “I don’t know what spell you and your little friend cast on my brothers, but it needs to end.”
Wow.
“That’s rich, coming from someone who walks around like the world owes him something,” I fire back. “If you hate people so much, why not just stay in your big, brooding mansion and leave the rest of us alone?”
He steps closer, eyes narrowing. “Because unlike you, I have responsibilities. I don’t get to play human and pretend everything’s sunshine and rainbows.”
“Right,” I scoff. “Because your life is so hard. Must be exhausting, being a walking thundercloud twenty-four-seven.”
“I don’t expect you to understand.”
“Oh, I don’t understand being disrespected, talked down to, or treated like crap by someone who thinks he’s above everyone else? Yeah, you're right, Zeus, I totally can’t relate.”
We stare at each other, breathing hard. For a second, neither of us says anything. The tension between us is thick and suffocating.
Then he mutters, “Just stay away from my brother.”
I laugh. A full, sharp, bitter laugh. “Is that what this is about? You think I’m a threat to your precious little bloodline? Please. Adrian’s a big boy. He can make his own decisions.”
“He’s reckless. And you’re a distraction.”
I grit my teeth. “You don’t know anything about me.”
“I know enough,” he says, voice low. “And I don’t trust you.”
“Good,” I snap. “Because the feeling is very, very mutual."
Another pause. His jaw ticks. He looks like he wants to say more, but instead, he just scoffs, turns around, and walks off without another word.
I stand there for a second, stunned, still holding my stupid books against my chest like a shield.
God, I hate him.
I hate how he gets under my skin. How he acts like he knows everything. Like I’m just a bug he’s waiting to crush.
But what I hate more?
The fact that even after all that, my heart is racing.
And I know exactly why.
I just have a stupid, inconvenient, absolutely terrible crush on Zeus McAlister.
Not that I’m ever going to tell him that.
I scoop up the last of my books with a huff and head to my next class, trying to ignore the way my palms are still sweaty. Zeus McAllister is officially the worst, and now he’s burned into my brain like a virus I can’t uninstall.
I push through the door and spot Iris already in her seat, elbow on the desk, cheek resting against her palm, eyes staring blankly out the window like she’s waiting for her soul to return from a long trip.
“Earth to Iris,” I say as I slide into the seat beside her. “Please tell me you’re not daydreaming about Darian again.”
She blinks slowly, like coming out of a fog, and sighs. “No. Just...thinking.”
“Mmm.” I hum dramatically, nudging her with my elbow. “Well, while you were thinking about not thinking about Darian, guess who I bumped into?”
She side-eyes me. “Adrian?”
“Nope.”
“Your step-cousin from the city who vapes and talks about crypto?”
“God, no.” I grin. “Zeus McAllister.”
Her brow rises slightly, but that’s all. No gasp. No second blink. No dramatic reaction. Just a flat, unimpressed expression.
I lean closer. “Okay, rude. That was supposed to be a moment.”
She turns her head toward me. “The McAllister boys have only ever brought us stress. Adrian was chaos on two legs, and Darian…” She trails off, looking out the window again. “Let’s just say I’m still recovering from that heartbreak.”
I nod slowly, suddenly not as eager to replay the Zeus scene. “Fair.”
“Having two of them in our lives is already two too many,” she says, voice quiet but sure. “We don’t need to go adding a third to the pile, Daisy. That house has done enough damage.”
I bite the inside of my cheek. She’s not wrong. And Zeus didn’t exactly sweep in with sunshine and charm. He’s cold, sharp, the kind of guy who makes you feel like he’s five steps ahead in a game you didn’t know you were playing.
Still…
“I’m not trying to add him to anything,” I say, maybe a little too defensive. “It was just a run-in. He knocked over my books. I yelled. He growled. End of story.”
Iris hums, skeptical. “You like him.”
Last Chapters
You Might Like 😍
Falling For The Playboy Billionaire
Henderson Bain a playboy billionaire cares about nothing else aside from his daughter, Itzel who is a spoilt brat all thanks to her father.
Lena Cohen is hunted by her past but despite that, she is an amazing mother to Trent, a sweet well well-behaved boy but life wasn't rosy for them.
Henderson Bain is having a hard time searching for a nanny for Itzel until shows up though qualified, Henderson refuses to offer her the job because of their first encounter but seeing how Lena and Itzel get along, he decides to employ her.
Lena and Henderson were two worlds apart but one thing they never saw coming was them falling for each other.
Will they finally let go of their past, and give love a chance? Or try to suppress their feelings for each other? And what if their past comes knocking at their doors once again?
His Lethal Obsession
He didn't respond but moved his eyes around the room, scanning the place.
"Wha...what are you doing here?"
His icy blue eyes returned to me, sending shivers down my spine. Then further dropped to my dress and then back to my eyes.
"The shit going on downstairs, what does it mean?" he asked, making my legs as weak as they are eager to flee.
"It's....it my wedding,"
He scoffed darkly. "Excuse me?"
I swallowed. "I am......getting married,"
He let out a humorless laugh, looking away and giving me lesser comfort. He looked at me with a demonic frown.
Terror washed me.
"Every single motherfucker/human being here, be it adult or child, including you, will burn before that happens,"
〽️〽️〽️
The quiet but pathetic life of Twenty-year-old Mia Jefferson changed the night she found a few months old interracial baby boy abandoned in a dumpster on her way home. She saved him and kept him in her care for almost a month until she was taken by a deadly gang who accused her of abduction. She thought it was it for her until the ruthless gang leader, Nathaniel Kincaid, known on the streets as Big Kai and the father of the baby appeared and added to her punishment. At the point when Mia is about to give up, Nathaniel makes her his baby's nanny as the only way to convince him that she is not the abductor. As she picked up her care for the baby, Nathaniel watched her every move consistently, placing his heart in a dark and passionate risk.
The mafia princess return
Let Them Kneel
Cast out by her pack. Forgotten by the Lycans.
She lived among humans—quiet, invisible, tucked away in a town no one looked at twice.
But when her first heat comes without warning, everything changes.
Her body ignites. Her instincts scream. And something primal stirs beneath her skin—
summoning a big, bad Alpha who knows exactly how to quench her fire.
When he claims her, it’s ecstasy and ruin.
For the first time, she believes she’s been accepted.
Seen.
Chosen.
Until he leaves her the next morning—
like a secret never to be spoken.
But Kaelani is not what they thought.
Not wolfless. Not weak.
There is something ancient inside her. Something powerful. And it’s waking.
And when it does—
they’ll all remember the girl they tried to erase.
Especially him.
She’ll be the dream he keeps chasing… the one thing that ever made him feel alive.
Because secrets never stay buried.
And neither do dreams.
Bella and Her Beast
.
Locked in her frozen tower, Bella dreamed of warmth, of touch, of freedom and of love. Cursed with the power of ice and snow, she’s spent her life alone. A secret they tried to protect the world from. Her only escape comes in the form of the books she reads. Stories of heat, desire, and the kind of love that could melt even her frostbitten heart.
Damien is the Beast. A dragon King with a temper forged in flame and a soul hollowed by duty. The world fears him. The people call him a monster. But beneath the scales and the rage lies a man who has never been touched by love.
When frost meets fire, the world shatters. She was never meant to leave her tower. He was never meant to find her. But destiny doesn’t bow to kings or care for cages and now the question burns through them both: Can Bella have her Beast? Or will the girl of snow melt in the heat of his desire?
.
"I’m keeping her."
"What?"
Before I can react, he scoops her up. Her small body fits easily in the cradle of his talons. For a split second, she looks startled, but not afraid. Her hand rests against one scaled finger, and she stares up at him with that same curious wonder, as though she’s already forgotten she was ever meant to fear me.
"Put her down," I try to command, panic threading through my thoughts. "You’ll hurt her."
"She’s ours," the beast insists, possessive and fierce. "Our snowflake."
Reborn To Rule: I Will Seize The Throne!
He paused, his gaze never leaving mine.
"And I don't share what's mine."
☆
I died on my son's death anniversary, betrayed by the man I'd devoted my entire life to, and the woman who stood by, smiling as I took my last breath… was my very own sister.
When I opened my eyes again, I was five years in the past—before the betrayal, before my death and before the beginning of it all.
This time, I refused to marry the man who destroyed me.
Instead, I walked straight into the arms of the only man the entire Empire feared—Crown Prince Alpha Rhaedon Ashkaar.
Rhaedon was everything Lucien wasn't.
Dangerous. Competent. Powerful.
And the perfect weapon for my revenge.
He wanted the throne. I wanted vengeance.
It should have been the perfect alliance, but revenge was never that simple.
With every step I took toward my revenge, another secret from my first life came to light. The deeper I dug, the more I realized I wasn't the only one playing this game.
And by the time I uncovered the truth...
Walking away from Rhaedon Ashkaar was no longer an option.
Tempted By The Enemy
She escapes to Preston Island to attend the wedding without informing him only to collide with Lucas’s hot, fiery and arrogant brother, the twenty-three-year-old, Nicholas Donnelly. Sparks immediately fly between them but Alyssa refuses to acknowledge them fearing her brother's wrath.
The wedding is over and Alyssa tries hard to forget the mysterious Nicholas Donnelly but can he forget her? Can he ignore the attraction he feels for her, feelings that have resurfaced after ten years?
What will Allyssa do when she is stalked by the man who has been invading her dreams since the day she met him? What will she do when she is whisked away to a deserted island by the unpredictable Nicholas Donnelly? Can she tame her heart or surrender to sinful temptations? Read to find out!
Part of the Temptation Series. Can be read as a standalone.
The Family Books 1-3 (A Mafia romance)
The saint to my sinner. with her innocent eyes and devilish curves.
A Madonna that was meant to be admired but never touched.
Until someone took that innocence from her.
She left.
The darkness in my heart was finally complete.
I avenged her, I killed for her, but she never came back.
Until I saw her again. An angel dancing around a pole for money.
She didn’t know I owned that club. She didn’t know I was watching.
This time I won’t let her escape.
I will make her back into the girl I knew.
Whether she likes it or not.
2/ Judge and Jury- I can’t stop watching her.
I’m not even sure I want to.
Taylor Lawson, blonde, beautiful, and totally oblivious to how much dangers she’s in.
She’s also the one juror in my upcoming murder trial that hasn’t been bought.
The one who can put me behind bars for a very long time.
I know I should execute her.
After all that’s what I do.
I am the Judge.
I eliminate threats to The Family.
And Taylor is a threat.
But I don’t want to kill her.
Possessing her, making her love me seems like a much better plan for this particular Juror.
3/ Rags and Ritches-
Protectors Of Her Warrior's Heart
Rescued by men who call themselves Protectors—warriors from another realm who embody the legends of angels and vampires—she is thrust into a world she never knew existed. For the first time, she experiences freedom, safety, and the possibility of a future.
But freedom comes with a price.
Tali is forced to face the father she believed abandoned her and a powerful council determined to use her for their own ends. Stranger still are the abilities awakening within her—powers no one understands, yet everyone seems desperate to control.
As she learns to trust, she chooses the mates destined to stand beside her. In their arms she finds love, devotion, and a family worth fighting for. But not everyone wants their bond to survive.
When the council betrays the Protectors and attempts to steal her newborn son, it ignites a war that will shake every realm.
Now Tali stands at the center of a conflict far greater than herself. The answers to ancient mysteries, the fate of her child, and the future of countless worlds all rest on her shoulders.
Surrounded by mates who love her fiercely and refuse to leave her side, Tali will battle enemies old and new, forge powerful alliances, and discover just how strong she truly is.
Because this war won't be won for her.
It will be won with her.
And together, they will fight for their future, their family, and a love worth crossing realms to protect.
Falling for my boyfriend's Navy brother
"What is wrong with me?
Why does being near him make my skin feel too tight, like I’m wearing a sweater two sizes too small?
It’s just newness, I tell myself firmly.
He’s my boyfirend’s brother.
This is Tyler’s family.
I’m not going to let one cold stare undo that.
**
As a ballet dancer, My life looks perfect—scholarship, starring role, sweet boyfriend Tyler. Until Tyler shows his true colors and his older brother, Asher, comes home.
Asher is a Navy veteran with battle scars and zero patience. He calls me "princess" like it's an insult. I can't stand him.
When My ankle injury forces her to recover at the family lake house, I‘m stuck with both brothers. What starts as mutual hatred slowly turns into something forbidden.
I'm falling for my boyfriend's brother.
**
I hate girls like her.
Entitled.
Delicate.
And still—
Still.
The image of her standing in the doorway, clutching her cardigan tighter around her narrow shoulders, trying to smile through the awkwardness, won’t leave me.
Neither does the memory of Tyler. Leaving her here without a second thought.
I shouldn’t care.
I don’t care.
It’s not my problem if Tyler’s an idiot.
It’s not my business if some spoiled little princess has to walk home in the dark.
I’m not here to rescue anyone.
Especially not her.
Especially not someone like her.
She’s not my problem.
And I’ll make damn sure she never becomes one.
But when my eyes fell on her lips, I wanted her to be mine.
From Substitute To Queen
Heartbroken, Sable discovered Darrell having sex with his ex in their bed, while secretly transferring hundreds of thousands to support that woman.
Even worse was overhearing Darrell laugh to his friends: "She's useful—obedient, doesn't cause trouble, handles housework, and I can fuck her whenever I need relief. She's basically a live-in maid with benefits." He made crude thrusting gestures, sending his friends into laughter.
In despair, Sable left, reclaimed her true identity, and married her childhood neighbor—Lycan King Caelan, nine years her senior and her fated mate. Now Darrell desperately tries to win her back. How will her revenge unfold?
From substitute to queen—her revenge has just begun!
Mated to Her Alpha Instructor
Weeks later, our new Alpha combat instructor walks in. Regis. The guy from the woods. His eyes lock on mine, and I know he recognizes me. Then the secret I've been hiding hits me like a punch: I'm pregnant.
He has an offer that binds us tighter than ever. Protection… or a cage? Whispers turn ugly, darkness closes in. Why am I the one without a wolf? Is he my salvation… or will he drag me to ruin?













