Fiona’s POV.

I can barely breathe.

Nor do I really want to, as his lips dominantly smother mine.

I have but a moment to moan for air before I’m easily plunged back into the depths of my desires.

But it’s because I’m desperate to keep his soft smooth lips pressed into mine. They tingle in reaction to him, welcoming the foreign body that invades my barriers, with his tongue swirling recklessly inside my mouth.

How euphoric…

His warm breath works like a sedative, sinking me deeper and deeper into a trance, and into the bed at my back. In my haze, I cannot help but wonder who would kiss me with such passion, who is this man?

I dare to look. But it’s as if a fog screen is cast over my eyes, blurring the hulking figure that cradles me. “Who are you?” I whisper.

And just like that, the mist unveils in a flash, and bright blue eyes shine through the darkness. Their icy brightness nearly blinds me.

Only one man possesses such a menacing pair of eyes, and his stare ignites fear into the hearts of the people of the Alastair Kingdom.

Thud.

My eyes open for a second time. Realizing that the first time must have been a dream, I sigh in sincere relief.

Thank goodness.

But the sensation of comfort sharply turns sour as I stare up at the ceiling. The fancy lights look nothing like my own. Satin curtains… silk sheets… the softest of pillows. This is definitely not my room.

So where am I?

And worse.

Where are my clothes?!

It’s cold. To which I realize the bareness of my chest, and the feel of the blanket against my bare legs. In my growing panic, I look to my right and nearly gasp aloud at the man sleeping beside me.

And not just any man…

It’s the man from my dream.

I feel like a bunny caught in a trap, nestled next to a sleeping wolf.

The biggest, baddest wolf there is.

Micah Lancaster…

The firstborn Prince of the King and the CEO of the Lycan Corporation. A man with countless assets under his name. The most powerful Lycan, a cold, and ruthless demon. And the most feared man in the Alastair Kingdom.

And worst of all, he is the elder brother of my traitor ex-boyfriend…

Despite my mortifying circumstance, being so blatantly reminded about my ex-boyfriend Jeremy spikes an awful pain in my heart.

Just yesterday, we were supposed to register our marriage, a step toward a future we had planned together.

Jeremy, the second prince of the Alastair Kingdom, had been my boyfriend for two years. Even though we were not fated mates and Jeremy had insisted we keep our relationship hidden, I was sure he was the one for me.

I had been so excited planning the smallest details of my wedding. I remember waiting for him at the marriage registry, happiness bubbling within me.

But hours passed, and Jeremy never showed up.

All my attempts to reach him went unanswered. I tried to reach him in every way I could but he had blocked me out of his mind, not allowing me to mind link him.

I had been beside myself, feeling like I was going crazy, not knowing what I did wrong.

Just like that, in the next minute, my world came crashing down.

There, on the TV screen outside the marriage hall, Jeremy's face appeared, announcing his upcoming marriage to Leah, a girl belonging to one of the noble families of Alastair. My heart shattered into a million pieces as the reality of his betrayal played out before my eyes.

And then, like a final blow, a breakup text from Jeremy arrived, reducing our two years of love to a cold, impersonal message.

'Our relationship is over.'

The words pierced me like a thousand needles, each syllable carving deep wounds into my already fragile soul. I crumpled to the ground, caring little for the people walking past in confusion. My pain was too terrible to hide.

In that moment of profound agony, I felt utterly lonely, abandoned by the one person I had trusted with my heart…

The horrible recollection is tormenting, and I have to snap myself out of my daze. But the daydream has only worsened the bruising of my heart. I need to get out of here.

So, I keep a cautious eye on the sleeping Lycan as I hesitantly slide off the bedside. I dress haphazardly, desperate to flee the predator's den, his soft growl-like snoring only spiking my panic.

I must have been terribly drunk last night. How else would I have had sex with Micah? Many referred to him as the ‘incarnation of the devil’. And yet here I am, grabbing my stuff with the urgency of escaping what has been the worst idea of a one-night stand my drunk self came up with.

But just as I fasten my bag over my shoulder, a dangerously strong hand ensnares my arm. My small frame topples back down onto the bed as I’m yanked, rolling across to come face to face with the Lycan Prince.

Like a deer caught in the headlights, I lie frozen, the air evaporating from my lungs out of sheer terror. The subtle tilt of his head gives away nothing as his pale blue eyes study me. That's when I sense his hand, it trails down to my legs, before gently sliding up towards my hips.

His touch feels like static electricity coursing through my veins, each brush sending shivers down my spine. But I cannot look away from those cold eyes of his. I cannot speak. I cannot move. Till I notice his hand continues its journey, moving past my waist and … into the crux of my handbag.

Confusion clouds my mind as he retrieves my phone, holding it tantalizingly out of my reach. I tentatively reach for it, but he pulls it back with a teasing smirk playing at the corners of his lips, his amusement evident in the arch of his brow.

With each failed attempt to reclaim my phone, the Prince's amusement seems to grow, though his expression remains stoic. It's only when his menacing gaze goes toward the device that I finally tear my eyes away from him to look at the screen.

And then it hits me like a ton of bricks.

Oh my god, it's his phone!

My eyes dart to the bedside table where my own phone sits, realization flooding over me like a tidal wave. I've inadvertently picked up his phone instead of mine, a mistake that suddenly feels monumental in its implications.

“Oh! I’m so sorry! I - uh- this was a mistake. Last night, I mean. Please forgive me!” I can barely splutter out my words right as I grab my phone and attempt to scramble away from the beast of a man.

But his side is closest to the door. Thinking it’d be faster, I clamber my way across the bed, forgetting the man is twice my size! In my haste, I tangle my legs in the quilt and slip! I end up tumbling even closer to his chiseled frame. My hands outstretch to stop my rolling, only for them to smack right up against hot flesh and skin.

I sense immediately that I’m feeling the tight muscular ridges of his abs.

God, please make me disappear!

I feel myself turning crimson red and I close my eyes for a moment, unable to face the awkwardness of the situation.

“M-Mercy! Please have mercy on me!” I stammer, my face burning with humiliation.

When he does nothing, his lack of reaction frightens me. I pull myself off the bed, continuing to utter apologies as I race out the door in my frazzled state.

However, as I scurry past the door, I wonder if I hear a deep, throaty chuckle coming from behind me?

I must be imagining things from all the panic, only reminding me that I need to get as far away as possible. So I rush out of the hotel in great haste.

Just then, my phone begins to vibrate. With trembling fingers, I swipe to answer the call. "Hello?" I manage to croak out.

"Fiona, it's Aunt Emma," her voice crackles with concern, "Your father... he's had an incident. He's been rushed to the hospital."

I can’t believe the words I’m hearing. “How?”

"He fainted after finding out that he’s gone bankrupt…"

Fiona’s POV.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

A flurry of text messages jolts me awake from the brief sleep I'd managed to steal.

My eyes fly open and slowly my surroundings come into focus. The sterile smell of the hospital attacks my senses and I feel a headache coming on. My body feels stiff and weak and my heart feels strangely hollow.

It’s been 3 days since I received the call from Aunt Emma. These days I’ve been taking care of my adoptive father, who’s been in a coma until now.

I had been leaning against the side of my adoptive father's hospital bed and now the weight of exhaustion presses down on me like a leaden blanket. I feel like any second now I will fall to my knees.

Get a grip, Fiona.

My hands tremble as I lift them to my hair, trying to pat it down and get some semblance of control. Fatigue weighs heavily on my shoulder and nausea bubbles up my chest.

I feel so lost and so utterly alone.

Taking in deep breaths and trying not to fall apart, I look at what the messages are about. I open the first one and it feels like a slap to my face.

“We will destroy you, we won’t leave you alone!”

It is clearly a threat and each word feels like a weight dragging me further into the depths of despair. More messages accusing my father follow.

I steal a quick glance at him, still unconscious, and silently pray for his well-being before slipping out of the ward to get a glass of water. The room feels like it is closing in on me and I just need a moment to breathe.

As I round the corner, the murmur of voices catches my attention. Several nurses stand in a huddle, their expressions animated as they discuss something in urgent tones.

Instinctively, I pause, straining to catch any fragments of their conversation that might shed light on my father’s situation. Instead, I am shocked by their words.

"You won’t believe the things about the patient, Fenris Richards, that are going on. Did you hear that his daughter was dumped by a lover whose station was too much for her?" one nurse whispers, her eyes gleaming with malice. "Seems like the whole family's cursed."

Their words are like barbs, each one piercing deeper into the wounds already festering within me.

"So what if they used to have money?" one of the nurses taunts, her tone dripping with disdain. "Now look at them, scraping by just to cover the medical bills. If it weren't for the old man being sick, he'd be behind bars where he belongs."

The words force me to take a few shocked steps back. I bite my lower lip trying not to let my heart sink. My fingers clench around my dress into a tight fist.

I've seen enough of the world's cruelty in these past few days to last a lifetime. I should be numb to it by now, immune to the sting of their words. But despite my best efforts, I can't shake the throbbing feeling that lingers in my heart.

This hospital itself was built by my father’s support in the past and all of these people used to flock around him when he would come to visit. Now, the same people shun him and talk poorly behind his back.

I close my eyes against the sting of tears that come to my eyes and rush out of the hospital, desperate to take in some air.

The moment I step out, my heart stops. There, leaning against a wall with a heartless smirk, stands Jeremy. He takes off his shades and gives me a once over, pursing his lips.

“Wow, you look like a mess.” He says casually.

It’s like a dam that breaks within me and I shake with hurt and misery. He is the cause of it all. The day I met him and gave my heart to him is one of my biggest regrets.

“How could you?” I ask him brokenly.

“I waited for you at the marriage hall. I gave you all of my love and in return, not only did you abandon me, you announced that you were marrying a noble and framed my father for a crime he did not commit! You forced his company into bankruptcy and now all of the creditors are after us.” I ramble, unable to stop as pain makes my voice hoarse and tears fall from my eyes.

“The government has already seized all of our assets and my father lies in a hospital bed while a jail sentence awaits him here! What did I do to you to deserve this, Jeremy?”

He only watches me with narrowed eyes. He steps closer, his presence looming over me like a dark cloud.

“You don’t understand.” He says with a wild look in his eyes. “You are just a commoner, you are not eligible to marry me yet. Leah is a noble, she can get me the power I need to inherit the throne.”

My lips part in a shocked gasp. His words hurt and now I see clearly what he has hidden from me all this time. Jeremy has chosen power and greed over the love we had.

"Don’t you see how this would be good for you too? After all, with that power, I could give you things you can never even dream of with your current lowly status. But for now, I've come to offer you a chance to save your father from his impending doom."

I struggle to compose myself. "What could you possibly offer me?" I ask, feeling tired in my bones.

Jeremy's lips curve into a twisted smile. "One million dollars, Fiona. Enough to cover your father's surgery fee."

My heart clenches at the mention of the sum. I hate how much I need it right now, but I know there's a catch. There always is with Jeremy.

"And what do you want in return?" I ask stonily.

He chuckles, the sound grating on my frayed nerves.

"Nothing so difficult, darling. Just your obedience and your touch. Become my mistress, and all your troubles will disappear."

I recoil at his words, a mixture of disgust and despair washing over me.

"You're despicable, Jeremy. How dare you come here and make such an offer?"

But Jeremy remains unfazed, his eyes cold and calculating.

"You have nothing, Fiona. You're not fit to be my wife right now. Just admit that I was the best thing that ever happened to you. Don’t act like it is such a bad idea. After all, as my mistress, you'll have everything you've ever desired.”

My heart sinks at his words, his contempt hitting me like a sledgehammer.

"And what about your noble bride-to-be? Will she be pleased to learn of this proposition of yours?" I ask him bitterly, not believing the audacity he has. He can’t let go of the power and at the same time, he wants love too, even though he has made every effort to destroy what we had.

Jeremy's expression darkens, a flicker of annoyance crossing his features. "She will never know, Fiona. Our arrangement will remain between us."

I shake my head with resolve even as the situation makes me want to crumble.

"I will never stoop so low, Jeremy. I refuse to be your dirty little secret, no matter the cost."

Jeremy’s face turns vicious and he closes in on me, forcing me to take a couple of steps back until I have nowhere to go. His eyes are hard and cruel as he leans into me.

"Think carefully, Fiona.” He whispers harshly. “You have three days to decide. After that, the offer expires and you will be destroyed."

With that, he turns and leaves. The clouds thunder above me and big fat rain droplets assault my face. In a minute, I am soaked and my tears mix with the rain. Shivers rack through my body and my whimpers are drowned by the sound of thunder.

I feel so alone, so broken.

I have nobody to turn to and nobody to help me.

My shoulders shake and my knees give out under me.

I sit there helplessly as the rain attacks me, having no strength to get up.

Just as I force myself to lift my head, to try and gather my courage, I see someone walking towards me.

His gait is powerful and strong. His aura is menacing. He is wearing a suit that fits perfectly on his body, giving him an intimidating look.

My eyes latch onto his face and my breathing stops. I know this aloof man. His fierce blue eyes burn me. His jaw tightens as he takes me in and fear has me rooted to the spot as he strides toward me.

God, I hope he doesn’t hurt me too. I am already broken as it is.

That’s all I can think of as the terrifying Lycan Prince of Alastair towers over me.