Chapter 1

Evelyn’s POV

I sat at the bar, downing drinks and trying to forget about my problems. “Pour me another, please,” I said to the bartender. As the omega refilled my glass, I looked at my phone and sighed for the umpteenth time. Still no word from my boyfriend, Alex, and no news from my father’s doctor either.

Just as I’d prayed the moon goddess would spare my mother and bring her back to me, I now prayed for my father’s life. Out of the blue, he’d slipped into a coma, and a month later, the doctors still had no answers. Meanwhile, I lost hope and my heart broke more with each passing day.

The pack wasn’t faring well without their alpha, either. They needed a leader, and as my father’s only legitimate child, I would become the next alpha of my pack if he didn’t make it. I sighed again as I wondered if the pack would be better off with my stepbrother Kevin in the role. He was a male with a powerful wolf.

Conversely, I was a female with no wolf. If that weren’t bad enough, an ugly scar that ran from my cheek to my ear marred my face so prominently that others stared constantly. Even patrons in the bar stared, though I did my best to ignore them.

I took a swig, downing the last of my drink. “Another,” I said to the bartender.

“Miss, you’ve had quite a lot already. Maybe it’s best to stop and go home for now?” the bartender, an obvious omega said. I looked at her and rolled my eyes.

“I don’t want to go home. I want to drink until I forget about life. So give me another, please.”

As the bartender hesitated, a waiter approached. “I have the perfect drink for you,” said the omega. “A new brand of whiskey, and it’s strong. It’ll take the edge off and make you forget. I can promise you that.”

“I’ll take it,” I slurred.

The omega waiter nodded. “Very well. I’ll be back in a jiffy.”

Once he left, I focused on my phone once again. Still nothing from Alex or my father’s doctor.

A minute later, the omega waiter approached with an open bottle. “Here you go. This’ll help you forget all your worries and cares. Dare I say, you’ll be in ecstasy for at least forty-eight hours.”

“You’d do well, as a brand ambassador,” I said with a chuckle. “All right. Let me sample its glories.”

The waiter nodded and poured a substantial amount into my tumbler. I tipped the glass back, gulped its contents in a single swig, then slammed the tumbler back onto the bar. I addressed the bartender as I grabbed my bag to retrieve my wallet. “Tab, please.” It was time for me to get going. I needed to see my father.

The bartender acknowledged my request, then walked to the register. Before the bartender got there, my image wavered.

I rubbed my suddenly blurry eyes. “What the heck?” I mumbled as I stood. I almost ended up on the barroom floor, barely able to catch myself in time. I gripped the edge of the bar, working to stay upright.

The omega waiter rushed to me, grabbing me by the waist to help me. “Princess, are you okay?”

I gently extracted myself from him. “Yeah. Fine,” I said, then put a hand to my forehead. Too hot, and my stomach was queasy too. That thought barely registered before blackness engulfed me.

Sometime later, I groaned, then opened my eyes. My face twisted in confusion. “This is not my house. It looked more like a hotel room. What was I doing here? And how did I get here?” I muttered to myself, rubbing my blurry eyes.

Before I could think long enough to answer either of those questions, giggling came from the room next door. Then a familiar female voice said, “Oh, Alex. Do you know how long I’ve waited for you to touch me?”  

I covered my mouth to hold back a gasp. I’d know that voice anywhere. It was my stepmother, Quinn. But what “Alex” was she talking to? It couldn’t be my Alex. That couldn’t be possible. Even the idea of that was outrageous. Yet, I didn’t know any other Alex, and I didn’t think Quinn did either. Still, there had to be some reasonable explanation.

My legs felt like jelly, so I used the room’s furniture and walls for balance as I staggered to the hotel room door. I opened it and, with blurry vision, looked around. When I didn’t see anyone, I walked to the next door.

Quinn’s voice came from the other side. “You’re not truly going to marry that scarred wench, are you? I mean, she doesn’t even have a wolf. Meanwhile, you could easily have all of this with me.”

“True,” said a male voice—Alex’s voice.

My Alex!

What the hell? How could he?

“But she’s the heiress,” he said, continuing. “And I can always come to your room at night whenever I get bored with her.”

Quinn chuckled, and I could barely believe what I was hearing. So it was all about me being the daughter of their alpha. Alex was with me just to get his hands on my father’s properties and wealth.

“Please,” Quinn said flippantly. “She might be Alpha’s daughter, but with that scarred face of hers and no wolf, she’s no better than a rogue omega. It’ll be my son, Kevin, who ends up with everything, not that weak girl. Besides, you’re too handsome to have such an ugly wife.”

I folded my fists in anger. How evil could Quinn be? And Alex—could he be more of an ingrate? Still, I couldn’t help but press my ear to the door to hear more.

“You say that like it’s a certainty,” Alex said. “Just remember that, unless I marry Evelyn, Kevin gets nothing.”

So they had a plan. Alex intended to marry me to secure the properties and the seat of the pack. Then it seemed he, along with Quinn, intended to ensure everything would somehow be transferred to Quinn’s son, Kevin.

They’d plotted against me! I had to pick my gaping mouth up off the floor.

“But enough with all that for now,” said Alex. “I want a taste of that fleshy pussy of yours.”

“Only if you tell me I can steal you away from that ugly duck. She doesn’t deserve you. You’re too good for her.”

Alex laughed. “Of course. Once everything’s in place, you can do whatever you want with her. In the meantime, you can still have me, especially once me and Evelyn are married, and all of us are living in the same house.”

“No worries about access,” Quinn said with a giggle.

“That’s right,” Alex said. “And I’m looking forward to having constant access to this beautiful succulent body of yours, too.”  

I couldn’t take any more. I barged into the hotel room, allowing the back of the door to slam against the wall. “How dare you!” I thundered.