-Corrine-I wanted it. I really, really wanted it. And I knew Andrew wanted it, too.But I didn’t want to do it like the last time we did. I wanted it to be slow, sweet, full of lust yet somewhat filled with affection.“I want it,” I whispered on his lips when he touched mine with his, but he was not yet to kiss me.“But?”He knew the tone I was making and I was happy because I felt that he understood me better than before.“But this time,” my hand crept on his broad shoulder and slowly down to his chest, “I’ll take the lead.”His eyes sparked with excitement and his reaction made me confused. “You… look so happy.” Doubt built up in my stomach. Did I say it right? I didn’t sound like a slut, did I?“Of course I am.” He propped his hands beside my head, holding his weight so he didn’t crush me. His dark blue eyes gazed at me like I was the only beauty in this world. “This dominant side of yours—“ he brushed my nose with his, “—I can’t wait to see it.”He slowly retreated and positioned
-Corrine-Daniel?What did he have to do with all this?He didn’t even know about werewolves. Why would his death be such important news to Andrew and his alliance?Did his death involve werewolves?All the way back to the mansion, my stomach was churning from the way Andrew drove the car and from my anxiety that was growing and gnawing at me.Even though I didn’t really care about Leana, I still wanted to know what happened to her and what her relationship with Daniel was.We arrive at the mansion and head straight to the treatment room. It’s just a regular, larger room with a few beds lined up.From the doorway, I heard Leana’s moans of pain and several voices trying to calm her down.“Andrew!” exclaimed Bent, who seemed to have been waiting for Andrew’s arrival.Another turned to us—Leana’s uncle—and roared when his eyes met mine.“What is she doing here?! Get out!”“Edy!” snapped a woman I didn’t recognize. It looked like she was serving as a healer. “Don’t yell in here!”“How cou
-Corrine-I tried hard to hide my surprise because I didn’t want to make Leana happy with my reaction.Even so, it seemed I wasn’t very good at it.“You should get some rest instead of saying nonsense things like that,” I said, forcing a fake smile at her.Her grin grew wider. Even in her miserable state, she was still trying to hurt me and enjoying every second of it. “So you didn’t know? I thought he already told you. Considering you guys are mates and everything.”My chest felt tight. I wanted to yell at her and then run to Andrew and ask him the truth. But I didn’t want to be provoked. I didn’t want to create havoc and give her the pleasure.Bria’s arrival saved my emotions.“Oh, are you awake?” Bria asked when she saw Leana.“Yeah. I just asked Corrine for some water.” Then Leana looked at me again. “Thank you, Corrine.”“No problem.” I smiled back at her, even though inside I wanted to strangle her. “I have to go,” I said to Bria.Bria nodded and thanked me.My feet stepped fast
-Corrine-“Mom? Do you know her?”Eva’s mom ignored her daughter’s question. Her gaze remained fixed on me. Her footsteps slowed down while her hands gripped the banister tightly.“How dare you—”“Mom!”The next thing I knew, Eva was beside her mother, gripping her shoulders so tightly that Mrs. Ashbridge gasped. Her eyes blinked a few times, and her gaze changed. It was as if she had been awakened from something that had been possessing her.I watched as her shoulders and chest rose and fell, looking heavy and tired, as her eyes turned dull.“Eva,” she said softly. There was no energy in her voice, very different from when she first saw me.“Come on, Mom. I’ll walk you to your room.”Mrs. Ashbridge nodded slowly, glancing at me before turning with Eva and heading up the stairs.I just stood still in my spot until Eva returned. She gave me an apologetic look and a smile. “Sorry. My mom likes to act weird sometimes.”“It’s fine.”I was sure that it wasn’t a strange behavior that she wa
-Corrine-Did I hear it wrong?Mrs. Ashbridge caught the expression drawn on my face. Then she sighed. “I knew it. Andrew didn’t tell you anything?”Slowly, I shook my head.“He’s just like his father. Likes to keep his problems to himself.” Mrs. Ashbridge folded her arms across her chest and moved her head toward her shoulders. “Come on. Let’s talk somewhere more comfortable.”*The clink of spoons against cups filled the silence of the night. A dim chandelier was lit above the dining table, where I sat. Mrs. Ashbridge was making tea while I stared blankly at the swimming pool through the large glass doors in front of me.This house was not only large but also beautiful. There was a feminine touch I couldn’t find in Andrew’s mansion. It also gave me a kind of warm tranquility.“Here you go.”Mrs. Ashbridge thrust a cup of tea in front of me, then she took a seat on the other side of the table. We both looked at the pool and the moon hanging high in the sky, perfectly round in the sil
- Corrine -"You didn't greet your mother first?" Rebecca interrupted.I automatically pushed Andrew away, feeling guilty towards Rebecca."Hi, Mom," Andrew greeted her, but his gaze remained fixed on me."How did you know I was here?""I tracked the car." He tousled my hair. "Why did you leave without telling me anything? Is there something wrong? I thought you were going back home and—"There was the sound of a chair sliding, and I peeked past Andrew, finding Rebecca standing up. "Seems like you two need privacy," she said with a smile. "I'll go back to my room.""Yeah, get some rest," Andrew replied.I lightly hit his arm and gave him a look that roughly meant, 'Be nice to your mother'.Andrew then glanced over his shoulder. "Good night, Mom."Rebecca approached Andrew and rubbed his back. "It's good to see you." Then she looked towards me. "Good night, Corrine. Thank you for keeping me company in the conversation.""Anytime, Rebecca," I replied. "Thanks for the tea."After that, s
-Corrine-Immediately after I posed that question, I regretted it.I shouldn’t have cared about Leana and her spiteful mouth. I should have kept that one thing a secret, or better yet, treated it as a lie and then forgotten about it.My hands were clenched in my lap. Fear gripped me.Time stretched long between my question and Andrew’s answer.“Know that I love you,” he said. His gaze was sorrowful. “I know we’ve just met. There’s not much you know about me, but I love you, Corrine.”“So—“ I swallowed hard. “—is it true?”The world seemed to turn upside down as Andrew said, “Yes.”I couldn’t contain my shock. My body trembled, and my chest tightened. “No—“Before I could move or do anything I might regret later, Andrew held me in place. He grasped both of my hands, placing them on my lap. His eyes locked onto mine.“Corrine, please, listen to me.”“I can’t—““I don’t want to blame you, but you asked for honesty from me... and I’m giving it to you. Now please listen to my explanation,
-Corrine-If only Andrew wasn’t my mate, I would accuse him of lying right away and drive him away from me. But I was sure he was not lying, and my conviction made the pain in my chest now even more suffocating.My pack did such a despicable thing just for wealth. There was nothing more disgusting than that, and the worst part was, without realizing it, I became part of that cruelty. Although I didn’t know about this beforehand, I was a part of the pack, which indirectly made me the same as them.It seemed my current condition was weakening my mental defenses, and Andrew could hear everything inside my mind. He touched my hand, releasing my embrace, and then stood up. “It is not your fault, Corrine. You have nothing to do with this.” Now it was his turn to try to calm me down. He pulled me into his embrace and gently stroked my head before leaning it against his chest.“Have you finished avenging them now that you’ve killed them?” I asked, softly. I waited for a few moments before dec