Victoria's POV
As I stood before the mirror, a whirlwind of thoughts consumed my mind, and tension gripped my entire body. It was 5 pm, and the meeting in the pack house would commence in less than two hours. Fear, anxiety, and dread coursed through me as I anticipated the final verdict of the alphas. I knew they despised me and would seize this opportunity to exact their revenge, especially Alpha Simeon, whom I had burned. The scars of that encounter still lingered, and unfortunately, he was one of the judges."Why don't you just burn them all?" Beatrice groaned, but I knew that wasn't a viable option. With a deep sigh, I touched the pendant on my neck, a gift given to me by Derick. I stared at my reflection in the mirror as tears clouded my eyes. I never imagined he would be taken away from me. Everything still felt like a nightmare from which I wished to wake up.A knock on the door interrupted my thoughts. "Come in," I called out, and a female maid entered."My queen, Lord Bernard, is here," she informed me."Bernard is here!" I exclaimed in relief, and she nodded."Thank you, please tell him I will be with him shortly," I requested, and the maid bowed before leaving.Taking a deep breath, I gazed at my reflection in the mirror, attempting to gather myself. "You can do this," Beatrice encouraged me, and I nodded before leaving the room.As I walked through the hallway, an unsettling knot tightened in my stomach. I couldn't help but feel curious and worried about whether Bernard truly wanted to help me. We had a complicated past, and I was unsure if he still harbored grudges in his heart. "If he does, then he wouldn't be here," Beatrice comforted me, and I nodded, taking a long breath to compose myself.Approaching the sitting room, I spotted Bernard standing near the fireplace, his gaze fixed on the dancing flames. He turned as he heard my footsteps, his eyes meeting mine. For a moment, we locked eyes, and neither of us could look away. It felt as though an irresistible force held us together, and as I walked closer to him, I found myself unable to tear my gaze away from his until I stood just a few steps away."What are you doing?" Beatrice snapped at me, bringing me out of his alluring charm. With a deep breath, I composed myself. "Greetings, Lord Bernard," I greeted him formally, and he didn't respond, his gaze still fixed on me and unhidden.I noticed a lustful gaze in his eyes before he gulped and looked away. He fell silent for a moment before speaking. "Victoria," he greeted, his voice soft but filled with underlying intensity."Lord Bernard," I responded awkwardly."Stop acting formal with me," he groaned, taking a seat. I followed suit, crossing my legs.A moment of silence enveloped the room as I waited for him to speak, which he did after a moment. "Tony reached out to me for my help," Bernard announced."That bastard," I groaned, clenching my fists."He has promised to give me fifty plots of land once he becomes alpha," Bernard revealed, and I sighed, wondering what he must have promised the other alphas."You see, Victoria, I'm going to help, but just like Tony has offered me something, you will also have to give me something in return," he explained. I nodded, fully understanding that this was a business arrangement and nothing more.He does not see me as a friend anymore because the Bernard I know would do this without asking for anything. "You see, Tony has more than half of the alphas to himself, but if you accept my request, I will turn them all to your side with just a word. No alpha would want to be my enemy," he said and I nodded and pondered in thought.I don't know what Bernard will request, perhaps plots of land or other benefits from the pack. However, I also knew that desperate times called for desperate measures. If striking a deal with Bernard meant securing my son’s position as the alpha, I was willing to consider it."What is it that you want in return, Lord Bernard?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady despite the turmoil in my mind.Bernard leaned forward, his eyes fixed on mine once again. "I want you," he said, with no hint of mischief in his voice."What...?" I stammered, unable to believe what he just said."You heard me right, Vicky. I want you," he responded, his voice firm.My wolf growled disapprovingly at his words, while I remained numb, unable to believe what he had just said to me. From my findings, I realized Bernard has a mate and a wife, so why would he want me? A married widow."What are you saying, Bernard?" I asked and received a soft chuckle from him."I believe you heard me right, Victoria. Accept to be mine, and I will protect you and the throne of your son," he declared, offering an offer I couldn't reject."But... I'm a married woman...""You are no longer married, Victoria. Your mate and husband is dead. You, of all people, should know that," he cut in, while I gulped as tears welled in my eyes."My offer won't stay for long. Remember, you have just an hour to accept before the meeting is held against your underage son," he said, reminding me of my fear."Tell him to fuck off," Beatrice growled, but I couldn't. Losing Bernard's help automatically means Tony has won, and that automatically means my son's throne is gone, and Derick's legacy will be wiped off.Tears welled up in my eyes as I held Bernard's cold and expressionless gaze. He stared back at me with no emotions in his eyes.As I stared into Bernard's eyes, a mix of emotions overwhelmed me. Part of me wanted to reject his offer outright, to stand my ground and find another way to secure my son's position as the alpha. But the reality of the situation weighed heavily on me. Time was running out, and Tony had already gained the favor of most of the alphas. If I didn't act quickly, my son's future would be in jeopardy.With a trembling voice, I finally spoke up, my words laced with hesitation. "If I agree to this... arrangement, will you truly ensure my son's safety and the preservation of his throne?"Bernard's face remained impassive, but a hint of triumph flickered in his eyes. "I give you my word, Victoria. As long as you accept my offer, I will do everything in my power to protect your son and uphold his position as the alpha."I took a deep breath, wiping away the tears that threatened to fall. It was a difficult decision, one that went against everything I believed in. But my duty as a mother came first, and if being a sex mate to Bernard was the only way to secure my son's future, then I had to consider it."I accept," I whispered, feeling my heart clench with pain."I accept to be yours," I whispered and tightly shut my eyes."Swear on it," he said, forcing my eyes open. I stared at Bernard and wondered what he was up to. Why was he doing all this? Did he hate me this much? Was this all revenge for him?"Swear on your son's life. That way, I will know you won't go back on your words," he demanded. I gulped and looked away as my heart shattered into pieces."Don't do it," Beatrice demanded, but I paid no heed to her words.With a deep breath, I met Bernard's intense gaze once again. "I swear on the life of my son that I will be yours," I said, my voice wavering slightly.Victoria's POVAs I walked into the pack house, I could feel tension in the air as they all stared at me. They all had an unreadable expression on their faces, which made it hard for me to detect their mood. I held gaze with Alpha Golden, and he also had that unreadable expression on his face. Taking a deep breath, I walked to my seat, which was beside Beta Tony. I took the seat and made Aidan sit on my lap. I looked down at him and could see he was frightened by the faces of the Alphas, but I placed a kiss on his forehead and wrapped my arms around him, giving him the assurance of protection and letting him know that I was with him and no one would harm him.I met gaze with Bernard, who was seated with the other ten Alphas. He also had that blank look that scared the hell out of me. I was scared, wondering if he would play me for a fool and decide to pay me back for refusing him years ago.“Take a deep breath, Victoria,” Beatrice comforted, and I did as she had instructed.The hall
Victoria's POVI paced around my room in a panic as his words rang in my head. I couldn't believe that I was actually doing this—I was going to have sex with Bernard. I was going to be his sexual partner, and there was nothing I could do about it.With a sigh, I stood before the mirror and gently caressed the pendant on my necklace as my thoughts turned to Derick. I wondered what he must be thinking of me and the decisions I had made. Surely, he would be angry with me, but I hoped he understood the situation I was in.“What's wrong? You should be celebrating,” Jane spoke from behind me, causing me to startle. With a deep sigh, I sat on the bed and saw the worry etched on her face as she stared at me. “What's wrong? You won, you should be happy,” she asked. I gulped, knowing I had to tell her, I had to confide in someone.As Jane sat down next to me, concern evident on her face, I took a deep breath and collected my thoughts. Opening up to her was the only way to share the burden I car
Bernard's POVI paced around the living room, feeling tense and anxious. Victoria was on her way, and I couldn't help but be nervous. All these years, I have wanted her. I have craved to hold her in my arms, and now, as if it's a dream, it's about to happen.“I'm against this, Bernard,” my wolf spoke angrily, but I shut him away and suppressed him from talking to me. Nervous and curious, I checked my wristwatch and realized it was almost 8 PM, with no sign of her yet. I knew she was avoiding being seen by anyone, so she decided to come in the dark. Not that I cared if anyone saw her. It's not like we were doing anything wrong, right?“I'm at your gate,” she announced through telepathy, and my heart skipped a beat. “Come in and lock the gate,” I spoke firmly, trying to hide the uneasiness in my voice.She closed the mind link without saying a word. “You can do this. Don't let her see that you're nervous,” I mumbled to myself and sat on the one-seater couch. I rested my back on the couc
Bernard’s POVIf eyes could kill, I should probably be dead, but all that did not matter to me. All that mattered was that she was mine tonight."Bernard!" she called out impatiently when she realized I was just staring at her naked body. "You didn't tell me that you wanted to sit and drool," she spoke, fuming with anger. "I'm not a..." she tried to speak, but I cut her off. "Get down on your knees," I said and saw her furrow her brow, confused at my words. "You heard me right. Get down on your knees," I repeated my words and saw her gulp before she slowly fell to her knees, and this time a droplet of tears fell on her cheek.Her tears hit me, but I sucked in a deep breath and gestured for her to come closer to me. Without hesitating, she crawled to me and stopped a few inches away from me.She lowered her gaze, unable to meet mine. With a sigh, I lifted her chin with my index finger and held her gaze. Her eyes were filled with pain, and I couldn't stop myself from slamming my lips ag
Victoria's POVI pushed him away and got off the bed. My heart was clenching with pain, and tears threatened to spill from my eyes, but I refused to let him see me cry. I walked over to where my clothes were scattered and picked them up, ignoring his gaze fixed on me.After dressing up, I grabbed my bag and made my way towards the door, but he stepped down from the bed, blocking my path, still naked. Anger surged within me, and my rage started to boil over. “And what is the meaning of this?” I asked angrily.“You're not leaving,” he stated firmly, causing my brow to furrow. “Are you serious?” I retorted with frustration, and he nodded.“You're not a whore that I would let leave after making love. I want you in my arms tonight,” he said, and I scoffed in disbelief. How dare he? How dare he think I would spend the night with him? Having sex with him was already torturous enough, and now this?Taking a deep breath, I composed myself and locked eyes with him. “I'm not spending the night h
Bernard's POVI opened my eyes with a smile on my face. I sat on the bed and checked the clock, realizing it was already 8 in the morning, and I haven't slept this long in a while.Memories of last night flooded my head, causing a big smile to appear on my face. I could still perceive her scent lingering around, and I couldn't help but take a deep sniff. A smile of satisfaction appeared on my face, and I couldn't wait to have her in my arms again.“What you are doing is wrong,” my wolf grunted. I sighed and got off the bed. “You have a mate…"“She doesn't bear my mark,” I responded. “Cora is my mate, but she doesn't bear my mark, and I believe you know why.” I snapped at him and left the bed.“Just because she doesn't have a good personality doesn't mean she won't change, Bernard,” my wolf argued, and I groaned. “You are just so obsessed with Victoria that every woman seems imperfect to you.” My wolf spat and shut himself away from me before I could even respond.With a grunt, I took
Victoria's POVI held his gaze, waiting for him to joke and say it was a joke, but he didn't. Instead, he began unbuttoning his shirt while I just stood and stared.I watched him unbutton all the buttons on his shirt, take it off, and reveal his well-muscled chest and abs. Despite how much I hated this, I couldn't deny the fact that he had a hot, sexy body that would make anybody drool, regardless of gender.His body was impressive, with well-defined muscles on his chest and abs. His chest showed strength and athleticism. His stomach had a tight and toned six-pack, and a bit of hair trailed down. Veins could be seen on his arms and chest, showing that he had been doing lots of workouts.He had broad shoulders that showed his strength. His arms were muscular, and for ridiculous reasons, I wished to hold them.“Stop it, you are drooling over him,” Beatrice growled, and I frowned and composed myself.I watched him go for the zipper of his pants, zip it down, and pull the pants to his kne
Bernard's POV “Hell no! I'm leaving this very minute,” she spat at my face, but I didn't respond. Instead, I walked to my closet, grabbed a sweatpants, and put them on. I turned to face her and could see that she was fuming with anger. It wouldn't take long before she’ll explode.“Listen, this was not the deal. The deal was to be your fuck buddy and nothing else,” she yelled, but I shook my head and stood before her. “You are wrong, Victoria. The deal is to be my lover, and I spend the nights with my lovers,” I explained firmly, seeing her groan with anger, revealing her fangs, which would have scared anyone else, but not me.“I'm leaving this minute. It's either you let me go or I'll burn down the door,” she threatened, but her threats didn't frighten me. Instead, I sat and watched her boil with anger as she turned red.“You…" she paused, took a deep breath to control her emotions, and closed her eyes momentarily. After a while, she opened them and shot me a death glare before lookin