LOGINElara Hayes never wanted to marry Lucian Cross, the cold and ruthless future Alpha of the Nightshade Pack. But when her sister runs away and her father's debts come due, Elara becomes the sacrificial replacement, a bride bought for $200,000. On their wedding night, Lucian makes his intentions brutally clear. he rejects their mate bond, parades other women through their home, and expects Elara to play the perfect Luna while staying invisible. For two years, she endured. Until one reckless night changes everything. One stranger. One forbidden encounter. One taste of freedom she can't forget. But when she returns home, Lucian is waiting with divorce papers and an ultimatum that will alter everything.
View MoreAs expected, he didn't remember her.
Sora wasn't surprised. In his eyes, there had never been room for anyone but Bella. To him, every other woman was exactly the same.
"I will take responsibility for last night. Name your price. As long as it's not too outrageous, I'll give you whatever you want." That was the very first thing he said to her when dawn broke.
Sora began to recall the events of the previous night. To secure a massive contract for her company, she had entertained clients whose eyes practically screamed 'pervert'. She had thought she could handle it smoothly—after all, her alcohol tolerance was incredible, and she had weathered plenty of storms in her two years in sales. But she never expected them to spike her drink.
The moment she realized something was wrong, Sora used the excuse of going to the restroom to flee the private booth. But with the alcohol amplifying the effects of the drug, she was completely powerless. Just as she was about to pull out her phone to call for help, he walked right toward her. Under her shocked, sleepwalker-like gaze, he opened his arms and pulled her into his embrace.
She inhaled the heavy stench of alcohol on him.
"Come with me," he demanded, his voice bossy and domineering.
Without a single hint of hesitation, she followed his lead with unusual obedience.
He took her to a hotel room, immediately turned on the showerhead in the bathroom, and ordered, "Wash up first."
Just like last time.
He thought any woman other than Bella was dirty.
However, Sora was no longer that naive little girl who looked up to him and worshipped him like a god.
"Take your time showering. I'm leaving," she said, turning to walk away.
But he grabbed her arm from behind, his voice laced with intense irritation. "Why is every damn woman so difficult?! What exactly do you all want to be satisfied?!"
Sora scoffed inwardly. Was he pissed off by Bella again? Was that why he got drunk? Why he was using this despicable act of revenge to teach that ungrateful woman a lesson, just like last time?
"I want—" She finally turned around, viciously cursing herself in her heart for being so cheap. But her body was terrifyingly honest; the moment she laid eyes on him, it ignited like a raging wildfire. Her arms looped around his neck. "I want... you."
Standing on her tiptoes, she kissed his thin lips. They were as cool as she remembered, as indifferent as always.
Sora couldn't remember much of what happened next.
It was a night of entangled passion, where she clung to him like a desperate vine.
Then, utterly exhausted, he turned one way, and she turned the other. They slept back-to-back, sharing the same bed but dreaming completely different dreams.
And then, daylight came. Impeccably dressed, he stood by the bed, ready to clean up the aftermath of this absurd one-night stand.
He couldn't even be bothered to spare her a second glance.
"Oh." Sora sat up unhurriedly. She reached into her small purse, pulled out a check she had been hiding for a very, very long time, and placed it gently on the nightstand. "Thanks for helping me put out my fire. Consider this your compensation. Goodbye—Julian."
Goodbye, Julian.
This time, you can truly get the hell out of my life.
It's time to end this five-year-long... farce!
My pathetic one-woman show.
ELARAHis mouth moved against mine smoothly and my body responded before my brain could catch up. Every nerve ending I thought had died two years ago suddenly roared back to life.I pulled back, breathless. "Wait, I don't even know your name.""Does it matter?" His thumb traced my lower lip, his golden eyes dark with want. "We both know why we're here."He thought I was one of those girls they pimp out here. The realization should have made me pull away, should have made me explain the mix-up and leave like I had planned.Instead, I grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him back down to me.This time, there was nothing gentle about it. His hands slid down my sides, fingers digging into my hips as he backed me against the booth. I gasped against his mouth, and he took advantage, deepening the kiss until I couldn't remember why I ever wanted to stop.He sat down on the leather seat and pulled me onto his lap easily. I straddled him, the short dress riding up my thighs, and felt him
ELARAMy heart raced. I sat up straight, the warmth from my release evaporating instantly, replaced by cold dread. Then the voice broke into a goofy and familiar laughter and I almost threw my phone across the room."Sophie, I swear to the Moon Goddess."She was cackling now, completely unraveling on the other end of the line, and I could picture her perfectly sprawled across her couch somewhere, tears streaming down her face, finding herself absolutely hilarious."You should have heard yourself. 'Mrs. Cross.'" She attempted the dramatic tone again between giggles. "I can't breathe right now.""You are genuinely the worst person I know," I said, but I was already smiling, the tension bleeding out of my shoulders completely. "It's past midnight, Sophie.""I know, I know. I just landed and couldn't resist. Forgive me, you know I love you.""You landed? You're actually here? In the city?""In the flesh, baby. Flying visit, but I'll be in town for a few days. We need to catch up properly.
ELARATwo years later.The headboard slammed against the wall for the third time that night.I sat in my dark bedroom, earbuds tucked in, phone clutched tight. The sounds coming through were crystal clear, a woman's breathless laughter, my mate's low growl, and the constant expensive sheets rustling.I should turn it off, throw the phone across the room, let the screen shatter like everything else in this house but I didn't.The camera I had hidden in the master bedroom, barely the size of a button, tucked behind a picture frame sent a live feed directly to my phone and I could see everything if I opened my eyes.The rumpled silk duvet, clothes scattered across the floor, the woman with red hair whose name I would never know because by morning she would be gone, replaced by another stranger tomorrow night.This was my life now, two years of sleeping alone while he paraded an endless stream of she-wolves and human women through our home. Two years of eating breakfast in a kitchen that
ELARAI found out I was getting married the same day I caught my father crying in the bathroom.He didn't know I saw him, the door was cracked open, and there he was, hunched over the sink, shoulders shaking. My father, who had never shed a tear even when Mom died, sobbing like the world was ending.Maybe it was."Dad?"He jerked upright, swiping at his face with the back of his hand. "Elara. I didn't hear you.""What's wrong?"The look he gave me made my stomach turn."We need to talk."Five minutes later, I was standing in the kitchen while he dropped the news."You're getting married," he said. No gentle lead-in, just the truth, dropped between us like a bomb.I laughed out loud "What?""Lucian Cross. The future Alpha of the Nightshade Pack." His voice cracked. "You're going to be his mate."I felt air leaving my lungs. "That's Sophia's arrangement, not mine.""Sophia's gone."My older sister, beautiful, perfect Sophia who was promised to the Cross family since we were teenagers. T






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