-Anika/Anya-The blinding lights of the stage hit me even harder than my captor did an hour ago. All eyes are on me as I stand in nothing but a low-cut chiffon dress, barefoot, and with a face full of makeup to cover my cuts and bruises.“Don’t do anything to her face, assholes!” one of my captors had said, but the damage had been done. All because I had been too out of it to notice what had been done to me… What they would still do to me.I landed in Las Vegas yesterday, ready to celebrate my 21st birthday with a few close friends. Everything was perfect until we reached our final hotel bar crawl. We ordered glasses of champagne, and when I got up to head to the bathroom, a hand clamped around my mouth, and darkness took me before I could scream for help from Liev, my personal guard.Guards, you ask? Well, my name is Anya Popov, and before my abduction, I was the only daughter of a Russian Alpha Pakhan - a mafia princess for a better term. The only difference is I’m human - a flaw to

How hard can it be to find a fucking woman in a small town?! I’ve scoured all the motels, b&bs, and hotels, but there’s no sign of Xiomara Montesino. It’s been almost two weeks since Niko sent me out to find this woman but I had no idea where to start. After a warrior brought me an item of Xiomara’s clothing I thought it would be easier to find her - how fucking wrong was I?She wanted to disappear and did a good job of it; no scent or sound of her anywhere here and even two towns over, she was nowhere to be found.Her sweet jasmine and lavender scent is nothing but an annoying temptation with no full-bodied woman attached to it. I know how she looks because of a picture Niko sent and I could see the fire and defiance in her hazel eyes. She’s no timid lamb, that’s for sure.But damn, she’s beautiful. Even as I wanted to reject her beauty and what she would come to be once I found her, her scent called to me and what a combination those two were. I don’t want a wife; I don’t want to

I move back from Xiomara and lean against the wall. The gravity of what I’ve just said seems to sink in and she crosses her arms over her ample chest. “So, in other words, I am your prisoner,” she says, jutting out her chin in defiance and I can’t help but chuckle.“Are you forgetting that your father gave you away? You’re more like a gift, but one I didn’t exactly ask for,” I say and grit my teeth. This seems to make her eyes narrow at me. “What is that supposed to mean? If you do not want me, there’s always an option to return to sender,” she says, and I’m not sure if she’s actually being serious, but I burst out laughing anyway.“Oh, Bambi, do you think that’s possible in your position? You’re the daughter of an Alpha, an important chess piece that your father needs to move so his pack can advance,” I say and walk towards her. “You can be lucky you were given to me and not some warrior with an affinity for violence.”She sucks in a breath but maintains her defensive position. “Yo

XiomaraI don’t know what I expected from this Luna, but her pure kindness isn’t something I banked on. She could have easily let me be and not tried to make nice or whatever, but instead, she sent her literal protection away so she can talk to me.And what did I do? I was a complete bitch to her.“Why don’t we sit down?” She says with a small smile. “Preferably before Maxim comes back here and says our hour together is up.”That actually makes me give her a small smile. We walk over to the sofas and sit down; me with my hands clasped tightly in front of me and her looking comfortable, wearing that smile still on her face.I wonder if she’s ever suffered, or worked a day in her life. How easy things must be for her as a Luna; I wish I had the same options, and yet I am nothing but a sold bride.“Let me start by saying that you are not a prisoner here; if you wish to leave, the door is right there,” she says, surprising me. Could this be true? Can I just leave here and no one would sto

I don’t know how to answer that question, so I just shake my head. “Let us head back, hmm?” I say in an attempt to change the subject and thankfully she doesn’t press me.When we get back to the other women, Luna Mia gets to her feet and walks over to me. “Are you okay? Do you want to go home?” she asks, and I nearly laugh at her use of the word ‘home’ when talking about Maxim’s place.I shake my head. “It’s okay, I’m alright,” I say and am about to walk away when she gently grabs my shoulders and shoots me an apologetic look.“Is this about Maxim’s decision? Are you upset about it?” she asks, and now it’s my turn to frown.“What do you mean?” I ask, cocking my head to the side. “What decision?”The look on her face tells me she’s just told me something I was not supposed to know. Her eyes widen and her mouth opens in a gasp; then she puts her hand in front of her mouth. “Oh…Oh, Xiomara, I’m so sorry! I shouldn’t have mentioned a thing!”I cross my arms and feel myself glaring. “What