Anna’s P.O.V
I snapped awake with a jolt, my breath escaping in harsh pants. I had a dream...or was it a nightmare? I didn’t know what to call it because it had been…pleasurable but the consequences of what happened in the dream were nightmarish.Closing my eyes against the light pouring through the open blinds, I sat up in my bed, recalling the dream. I’d discovered my Alpha was my mate… the thought made me snort. There was no way he would be my mate in real life.Anyway, after discovering he was my mate, we had sex…and my Alpha took my virginity. He’d been so hard and hot above me. no wonder the other girls in the pack hyped up sex so much. Although it wasn’t real, that dream gave me an insight into the pleasures of the body.A jolt went through my body as I recalled how good he’d felt inside me in the dream…dream…if it was a dream, why was my vagina throbbing? With a gasp, my eyes flew open and I took in my surroundings. the first thing I saw was the wall-paint. Black, grey and white. My room was painted in a drab yellow. A lump formed in my throat and I almost fell off the bed—the king’s sized bed—in my panic.Oh goddess, oh goddess, it wasn’t a dream. My Alpha was truly my mate and I fucked him. My hands quickly flew to my hair and I felt a little relieved that I was in my true form. Anna..As my lungs started to close up and I began to hyperventilate, I recalled how my appearance had changed the night before while we were having sex.“No one should ever learn about your appearance change.” That voice that always rang in my head echoed and I hugged my naked body tight as tears spilled from my eyes. What have I done? What if the Alpha remembered and saw how my appearance had changed from the mousy brown-haired Anna to the golden-haired beauty that was somehow a part of me too? Would he harm me? He was my mate after all… maybe his hatred for me would reduce due to the mate bond. I could only hope as more tears fell from my eyes.Suddenly, the figure next to me began stirring awake and I dragged the duvet over my head, hiding and pretending to be asleep. Maybe if I continued hiding, he wouldn’t know it was me, Anna the wolf-less mutt he despised. He would think it was one of his many mistresses.The thought that he slept with other women in this bed sent a spike of jealousy through me but I stamped on it. This was neither the time nor the place. I needed to empty my thoughts so he wouldn’t sense my presence or smell my envy.Suddenly a sharp pain sliced through the small of my back and as my body connected to the hardwood floor beside the bed, I let out a yelp.Oh crap. He knew it was me and kicked me off. I held my breath as he rolled off the bed with a groan, walking around the four corners to stand before me in his full male-naked glory.I swallowed helplessly at the sight of his erect penis, my mouth watering as I recalled how it’d felt last night when he…“You…you!” his sputtered, his eyes widening with rage as he took in my naked body on the floor. I could only look at him in surprise and horror. From his reaction, I think he hadn’t really known it was me beneath the covers. He’d just seen a female figure on his bed and kicked her off. Did this mean he didn’t spend the night with a woman in his bed outside sex? Why did the thought please me so? And why was I even thinking about this? I had an angry Alpha before me!“You fucking bitch.” I screamed as he shoved his foot into my belly, kicking me hard. “You fucking drugged me to sleep with you.”What? I didn’t do it! You came onto me! I thought through the sharp pain exploding in all parts of my body as he continued to hit me.“So the rumors were true about you.” He spat bitterly, moving away from me as I lay on the floor, a mess in extreme pain. “You’re just a cheap slut looking for something to fill her cunt.”Crawling to a seating position, I shook my head and sobbed. “No, it wasn’t me that drugged you…and…and we are mates.”He suddenly went rigid, his back turned to me as every muscle on them tightened with tension. The room went silent, eerily silent, left for the choked cries that left my lips. My body vibrated with pain and I gnawed on my bottom lip to reduce my sobs as I waited for his reaction.It honestly scared me…the way he was holding himself. Like a spring coil stretched to its limit about to snap.Suddenly, his head was thrown back and a rich, bitter laughter filled the room. “You almost fooled me, you know.” He mused softly, sparing me a baleful glance over his shoulders. “I already have a bond mate.”“What? it can’t be true.” I whimpered, my heart squeezing uncomfortably.“It is true.” He hissed like a viper, turning to me and squatting down to hold my chin with blunt fingers. It was painful but I could only tremble and whimper as he stared into my eyes. The eyes that looked at me with desire were now cold icy shards that could kill me. “She is my arranged mate and I am supposed to create a bond with her. Not whatever it is the moon goddess deluded you with.”“Oh,” I stupidly felt my chest ease as hope filled it. He wanted to create an artificial mate bond. Maybe I could convince him not to.—“I, Alpha Asher reject you as my mate.” He said through his teeth still holding my chin up like he wanted me to see that he meant every word.I could only gasp in shock as the place he’d marked me pulsed with such cutting torture.“I will kill you if you let anyone else know of this.” He brushed a callused thumb over my bottom lip, hovering for a minute before he abruptly stood up. “Get out.”Not waiting for anything else, I stumbled to my feet, about to bolt from his room when his voice stopped me. “Fucking cover up or do you want people to know you spent the night here.”I shook my head, tremblinf like a leaf as he threw my clothes at me. With hands that didn’t feel like mine, I quickly dressed up, and ran away from the room, my eyes blurry with tears. My chest hurt, it hurt so bad.Have you ever felt like someone reached into your ribcage and roughly yanked out your heart and threw it on the floor, then carelessly stepped all over it? That was how I felt as I stumbled over my own steps, bolting from the Alpha’s villa. I wanted to hide somewhere, cry forever and never see the light of day. I knew this rejection would happen but with the way he’d made love to me last night, I’d hoped for a better outcome.My head was still swimming with thoughts, my feet taking me further away from where my heart had been ripped when I slammed right into a tall, slim figure.A familiar scent filled my nostrils and I gasped, fear twisting my insides.I would recognize that scent anywhere. It was the former Luna of our pack. Alpha Asher’s stepmother. Camila Knight.Nausea rose to my throat and my stomach bottomed out as she took a long sniff of the surroundings.“Look at me, servant,” Camila growled in her perfect accent that rang with the power of a Luna.I didn’t want to…because I was terrified she would know…but I guess hiding my face was futile because my head snapped to the side in the next moment.I bit on my lip hard enough to draw blood, tears filling my eyes and pain blooming on my cheeks. She’d slapped me.“You seduced my son, you whore.” She spat into my face, her saliva drooping down to my chin as a hot wave of shame swept through me. it was so easy for everyone to conclude that I’d seduced him because of course, someone like the Alpha wouldn’t in his right mind sleep with someone like me.Tears blurred my vision and before long, she’d ordered her guards on me. I could only lie there on the floor as boots and wooden batons slammed into every part of my body on the Luna’s command.Warm liquid spurted from the side of my head and I distantly realized I was bleeding. Slowly the throbbing pain blissed out and my vision began to dim. The last thing I heard before I went under was her shriek. “Lock her up and do not let her out until Asher’s engagement is done.”I was dead. I had to be since I’d been living in hell for the past few weeks. Hell was supposed to be hot, though, and bright red with flames. The room where I was being held was cold and extremely dark. Even through the thin mattress I lay, I could feel the icy chill of the concrete floor beneath me. it seeped through to my bones—to my blood. Every cell in my body was thoroughly chilled. Maybe I could be better off in the real hell than this one. But the physical discomfort was nothing in comparison to my emotional agony. I had lost so much more than my freedom. I had lost my heart when Alpha Asher rejected me and when the old Luna announced to the pack that I had tried and failed to seduce the Alpha. Then she told anyone they were allowed to sleep with me if they wished because I was cheap product that wanted cock so bad, hence they should give it to me. The men came in here every time it was quiet and tried to have their way with me. I shuddered with heartbreak as the memory of t
“I didn’t do anything!” I begged, my body hot from the bruises it’d garnered as the maid dragged me by my hair to Luna Camila’s house. I tried to ease her grip from my hair but it was just too tight—she had a delta wolf and while she didn’t qualify to be part of the pack’s defense and military, her wolf was extremely strong, which meant I had no chance against her. I could only cry out and struggle weakly, the sun beating down on me with evil intent. Dumping me roughly in front of the brown porch, she used my hair to wrest my face up and grinned evilly. “Kneel here and if you move an inch before I fetch the luna, I will kill you myself.” I trembled but managed a nod. She yanked her hand away from my head, sending a headache splitting through my skull and I bit my lip to hold back a whimper. It would only feed her ego more. Sara had always hated me for reasons known to her and this was her chance to gloat. Immediately, she ran up the porch into the Luna’s house and in less than twenty
Asher’s P.O.V The distant sound of a clock tugged at my consciousness and as I stirred awake, the warmth of the sun seeping through the blinds spread flush over my skin. With my eyes latched, I turned, stretching my hand to ensure Vira whom I’d spent the previous night with was gone from my bed. The tension bled from my shoulders when my palm felt the cold silk of my bedspread. “Good,” I muttered, sitting up with a raw feeling in my chest. Lifting my hands, I found the center of my chest and massaged them to ease the weird ache tightening in it. “What the fuck is wrong, Omar? We both decided to reject her!” I growled at my wolf and then made my way into the bathroom. Peeling off my briefs, I stepped under the shower, and warm pellets of water soaked into my hair and kneaded my scalp. Still, yet, the stupid throbbing in my chest didn’t relent. I felt my wolf growl in my psyche but I ignored it and squeezed my eyes shut. Fuck I shouldn’t have. It was as if I turned on the switch of
(Anna's P.O.V)I jolted awake, harsh fluorescent lights blinding my vision. The sterile white ceiling above me swam in and out of focus and my head throbbed like a drum solo. Where am I? Disoriented, I tried to sit up but a searing ache in my lower belly sent me crashing back down into the sheets beneath me. I was in a hospital, and the sickening smell of disinfectant confirmed it. But how? What was I doing here?“Oh…” panic clawed at my throat and I whimpered. And just like that, memories flooded back into my consciousness with a horrifying rush. No…No… I bled…I wept, I screamed but my cries went unheard. They’d forced the pills down my throat, their hands pinning me to the ground. Don’t do this…please…help me… the terror, the helplessness. Tears welled up in my eyes, blurring the sterile white walls around me.My hands flew to my still flat stomach and I moaned in pain, my own voice alien and distant to my ears. “Oh, my baby. My baby! Don’t take my baby! My baby! Please!”It soun
(Anna’s P.O.V)“Senior doctor Steve,” the nurse frowned although her eyes widened with a mix of fear and apprehension. “When did you hire her? If this is you being nice, you know it’s against the hospital’s policies to actually freely treat patients and give them jobs after a silly sob story without any qualifications.”“I didn’t ask you to teach me the hospital rules, Nurse Hill.” The newcomer referred to as Senior Doctor Steve bit out in a scathing voice and I watched the other Dr. and Nurse Hill flinch. “If you would excuse me, Ms. Anna Kendra’s case has been transferred to me. I am now her attending doctor till I deem her fit to be discharged.” He tilted his chin towards the door, brows arched haughtily.The way they scampered out of the room would have been funny if I wasn’t rooted to the bed in shock whilst staring at the doctor with my mouth gaping open. For a long time, everyone I’ve met always did something to hurt me…something to pull my world from beneath me, and yank away
(Anna’s P.O.V)Gulping hard, I took a step away only to gasp as my back hit a solid metal. Fuck fuck no! the lockers. How stupid was I to back myself into a corner with a lunatic in front of me?“Ken, what are you doing? I-I just needed to grab some cleaning supplies. We are closed for tonight, remember?” I stammered, terror choking up my windpipe. My eyes darted around the room, searching for an escape, but the only exit was blocked by his hulking form.A cruel smirk stretched across his face. “Need some help with cleaning, hm?” With that, he lunged for me.The screams that ripped through my lips were choked off with panic.“NO! Help! Someone, please!” My voice bounced off the metal lockers, unanswered. Tears welled in my eyes blurring my vision. Just like that time in the dungeon, I was trapped, a whale beached on dry land.As he continued to squeeze me, more tears spilled from my eyes. Maybe it was fear or shock but I found it hard to fight back, and protect myself. I could only fl
(Anna’s P.O.V)Gravel crunched beneath my tires as I pulled into the brimming lot. The spot designated to me was barely left unoccupied and that made my lips curl in a slight smile. Friday night rush hour was always intense. As I killed the ignition, the familiar neon glow of the bar's entrance pulsed through the windshield, casting an almost surreal light on my reflection in the rearview mirror.I leaned in, catching the way the overhead light danced in the strands of red and silver that wove their way through my blonde hair and the glint in my purple eyes. Next came the usual relief and dismay that courses through me whenever I saw my midnight self.Relief washed over me, knowing I hadn’t lost this side of me, the one I’d feared gone when I was pregnant. Throughout my pregnancy, my midnight shapeshifting ceased and I thought I'd lost the other part of me I now call, "Black Rose." As for the dismay, it was a reminder that while I transformed into someone entirely new every midnight,
(Anna’s P.O.V) That was none of my business. I told myself immediately. "Seems like someone spiked your drink, huh?" I started, eyeing Jim in a way that told him to leave and the poor guy slipped out as Asher's attention momentarily turned to me. I refused to be held captive by those emerald orbs even though they threatened to see through my facade. "I can assure you it's not any of our staff here. Maybe you came with someone or left your drink unattended." Asher scoffed and the sound scraped against my nerves. "for your information, I came alone." He said through his teeth. "And the only time I looked away from my drink was to fetch my card for the server. He was the only one with access to my food!" "Then I would question Jim and if we find anything suspicious, we would involve you and the cops," I said amicably, my voice surprisingly strong. "Right now, I am sorry, Alpha but you would have to remain calm. Chaos isn't good for business and I can't have you scaring the other custo