He pulled her flush against him, his body pressed tightly to hers.
And then-unexpectedly-he tilted her chin up and crushed his mouth onto hers.
It wasn’t soft.
It wasn’t gentle.
It was rough. Deep. Possessive.
A real kiss.
A kiss meant to mark her. To make a statement in front of everyone.
His fingers gripped her ass, holding her there as his mouth moved hungrily against hers, like he was devouring her. Like he wanted every man in this room-every wolf in this room-to know she was his.
The guests gasped again. Some even laughed nervously, others whispered shock.
But I didn’t hear them.
All I heard was the sound of my own heartbeat crashing in my ears. My wolf clawed at the walls of my mind, howling, raging to be set free.
A scaring pain exploded through the mate bond, but I didn’t let it show.
Instead, I watched Olivia wrap her arms around his neck and moaned into the kiss.
That kiss-that kiss-felt real.
I could feel Levi trembling beside me. Louis cursed quietly under his breath.
Through the bond, I felt their anger and pain mix with mine.
And I couldn’t stop the thought that stabbed deep into my chest.
What if this isn’t part of her plan? What if she wants this?
What if… we’ve already lost her??
No. My wolf snapped. No. Never. She’s ours. Only ours.
But the fear stayed, burning in my chest as Damien finally broke the kiss, grinning down at her like he’d won.
His hand stayed on her ass for just a second longer-just to make sure we saw-before he slowly let go.
He whispered something in her ear.
She smiled faintly… too faintly… and then rested her hand lightly on his chest.
Like she belonged there.
The crowd burst into soft applause.
I barely heard it.
My breath caught. My fists shook.
I wanted to scream.
To shift.
To rip the walls down just to stop this nightmare.
But instead, I turned.
With an aching heart and burning eyes, I walked away.
Olivia’s POV
I turned… just in time to see all three of them walking away.
Something heavy dropped in my chest.
I swallowed hard, trying to ignore the sudden wave of discomfort that washed over me. It felt like cold water had been poured over my heart. I blinked quickly, fighting the sting behind my eyes.
My wolf was quiet.
Too quiet.
But I could feel it-she didn’t like what just happened.
She didn’t say a word, but her silence said everything.
She wasn’t happy.
Neither was I. 2
I shifted slightly in Damien’s arms, suddenly aware of how close he still was, how his hand had just been on me in ways I never expected.
“Stop looking,” Damien’s voice came low beside my ear, his arm tightening slightly around my waist.
I frowned. “I wasn’t-” I started, but he cut me off.
“You were,” he said firmly, sounding annoyed. “Don’t ruin the moment, Olivia. We have to act like the perfect couple, remember? A few members of the council are here… they can’t notice you are having doubts.”
I nodded slowly, even though my chest still ached.
Even though everything inside me screamed that something wasn’t right.
I forced a smile.
But it didn’t reach my eyes.
Alpha Damien placed a soft kiss on my forehead and wrapped his arms securely around my waist.
“Come,” he murmured. “Let me introduce you to one of the council members
I followed him through the crowd, still feeling that strange hollowness in my chest. The buzz of voices around us felt far away, muffled by my thoughts and the uneasy silence from my wolf.
We stopped in front of an older man-tall, silver-haired, with deep lines around his eyes. His presence alone demanded respect, even before Damien spoke.
“Elder Grant,” Damien said with a polite nod, “this is Olivia. My future Luna.”
The man’s sharp eyes scanned me from head to toe, unreadable at first. Then he offered a small, respectful nod.
“So you’re the one,” Elder Grant said. “The she-wolf who finally captured Damien’s heart.”
I gave a small smile, standing straighter. “Yes, sir.”
He tilted his head. “Are you ready to face the council the day after tomorrow?”
“Yes,” I said without hesitation. My voice was clear. Strong. “I’m ready.”
He studied me for another moment. “Good. You’ll need that confidence.”
Just then, someone called Damien’s name from across the room. He gently touched my hand. “I’ll be right back,” he whispered, and excused himself.
Now it was just me and Elder Grant.
He stepped a little closer, lowering his voice so only I could hear.
“I heard everything you went through… from Damien,” he said. “He told me what the triplets did. How they hurt you,”
I tensed slightly, unsure what was coming next.
His gaze stayed steady on mine. “I’m sorry, child. Truly. No one deserves that kind of betrayal.”
“Thank you,” I said quietly
He nodded, but then sighed, eyes drifting across the room before settling back
“But sometimes,” he said slowly, “the devil you know… is better than the angel you don’t.”
I frowned slightly, not sure how to respond.
He leaned in a little more.
“Love doesn’t always look perfect,” he continued. “Sometimes it makes mistakes. Sometimes it hurts us. But that doesn’t mean it wasn’t real.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.