CHARLOTTE’S POV
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I’d had a full week. My back ached from sitting in the same position for hours, working. Today was Thursday. and I had to get everything ready before leaving for London on Saturday. Liam’s school was on a short break, so he’ll be coming with me.
I was in my private lab, sorting through new samples. Ace hadn’t complained about new marks, but I was always preparing, trying to make something better, stronger. I would never know when it would come in handy.
My heart raced at the thought of spending hours with him on the flight to London. No matter how much I tried to lie to myself that I was better off without him, I knew it wasn’t true. I was falling deeper for him every day, and my wolf… she wasn’t even resisting anymore. She didn’t warn me to stay away or be careful like she used to. Lately, she craved him just as much as I did, melting in his arms every time he touched me.
Ace makes me feel things I believe I have never felt in my life. I was certain I never felt this way in the past. Yet with him, it feels natural, like it was always meant to happen. Like I was meant to be his, even before I knew his name.
My hands moved to my lips without thinking as my mind drifted back to the way he kissed me that night at the gym. I thought that kiss would calm the fire burning inside me, but it did the opposite. It left me wanting more, craving him in ways I didn’t want to admit out loud. I wanted his touch, his hands, his mouth, all of him. My thighs pressed together as the heat settled low, making my breath come a little uneven.
Ace has a way of distracting me even when he’s not around. Just the thought of him is enough to make my focus slip. My phone chimed, pulling me out of my thoughts. It was a message from Ace.
“No matter how much you push me away, I’m not going to leave.”
Another message came in almost immediately.
“I’m in the office right now, but I can’t focus. You’re in my head, in my heart. You’ve engraved yourself in my soul. I’m thinking of different ways to take you.”
My hands worked faster than my head. Before I could stop myself, I was already typing back.
“Oh yeah? In what ways?”
It took him a minute to reply and for a second I thought he wasn’t going to.
“You’d run away if I tell you what I’m thinking of doing to you.”
I swallowed and typed back.
“You can’t be so sure of what my reaction would be.”
I must be losing my mind. I was supposed to be pushing him out of my thoughts, not feeding whatever this was between us.
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His reply came fast this time.
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“Dare me one more time and you’ll see me in your hospital this minute. You’ll be moaning so loud you won’t be able to work after. Don’t try me.”
I could almost hear his voice, deep and rough, the growl he makes when he’s losing control. Heat rushed through me, settling low and making my skin feel tight. By the time I dropped my phone, I was burning.
I shrugged off my coat and stepped out of the lab, heading back into my office, hoping work would clear my head. It didn’t.
That was when my secretary walked in.
“Doctor, your next appointment is here,” she said.
I didn’t bother asking who it was. “Send her to the waiting room,” I said.
She dropped the patient’s file on my table. “Okay, Doctor.” She left, closing the door behind her.
She dropped the patient’s file on my table. “Okay Doctor.” She left, closing the door behind her. I picked the file, scanning through to find out more about the patient. I had already opened the door of the room when my eyes glanced at the top and I saw the name on it.
The woman I’d heard so much about. The woman who stood by Ace’s side as his wife. A rush of feelings exploded inside me, impossible to explain. I felt like the other woman, standing there next to the main wife, the Luna.
She looked stunned, her eyes locked on my face, as if she was trying to burn every detail into her memory. There was a dark energy around her, one I didn’t want to be near. Slowly, her shock twisted into something colder and hateful. Her lips pressed together, curling in a way that made the anger impossible to miss.
“You’re Moon Virel,” I said, breaking the heavy silence in the room. “According to your report, I can’t find anything wrong with you.”
She dropped her purse onto the table, folding her arms tightly across her chest. “That’s because I’m not sick,” she said, her voice pitched slightly, forcing a smile that didn’t reach her eyes.
I had never imagined that I would one day meet the woman Ace chose over his true mate. But I also never imagined she would be staring at me with such intensity. I wasn’t scared, and I could see that she noticed.
“You don’t look scared.”
“Good observation. Why should I be scared of you?” I cocked my head to the side.
She laughed, but it was harsh and humorless. “You should be scared standing in front of the woman you’ve been sleeping with her husband. You’re so shameless,” she spat the words out.
“Sleeping with your husband? That’s a serious accusation. Do you have anything to back that up?” I asked, raising a brow, keeping my voice calm.
Her eyes flickered, like she wanted to say something, but then they dropped. She probably realized she had
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Chapter 62
no proof.
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“You’re so shameless. You’re a liar too? I saw you at the gym two nights ago, kissing my husband, my mate. Have you no shame?”
She saw us? Does that mean she heard everything? How did she even find us? I took a deep breath to mask my emotions. “You’re not sick. Please leave my hospital.” I turned, refusing to waste more time standing here exchanging words with her.
She rushed over and slammed the door I had already opened with a loud bang. “I’m not done with you.” She shoved me back hard and I stumbled a little, catching myself before I fell. I had to fight the urge to push her
back.
“You’ve done so much for yourself, but I’m one person you don’t want on your wrong side,” she said coldly. “I can mess you up so easily. I’ll destroy everything you’ve built,” she threatened.
“Oh yeah? And how do you intend to do that?” I asked, my tone mocking. She clearly didn’t know who she was standing in front of. People had tried to threaten me before. They didn’t just fail, their names and everything they owned went into ruins. I wasn’t someone you scared cheaply, and I didn’t need to fight to win. I was loved, protected, and far from alone.
“How about I show everyone that you’re a mistress?” she said, a slow evil smile spreading across her face. “You’re trying to ruin a perfect home. What do you think?” Her eyes gleamed. “And when the world hears you’re sleeping with Ace Virel, they’ll tear you apart.”
“Okay,” I said calmly, moving toward the door again.
She stepped in front of me, blocking my way. Her face flushed red with anger, her hands shaking at her sides.
“You’re not scared of me. You think I can’t do anything?” She clenched her teeth, her eyes burning holes into my face. “Do you even know who I am?”
“Do whatever you want to do,” I replied calmly. “No one is stopping you. I’m opening this door right now, and if you try to stop me one more time, I won’t be held responsible for whatever happens to you.”
Her face fell. Whatever confidence she had cracked, and she slowly stepped away from the door.
I placed my hand on the knob, ready to leave, when she spoke again.
“I don’t know what Ace told you for you to stupidly believe him,” she said quietly, but every word was intentional. “Ace is deceptive, and I’m pretty sure he has been deceiving you this whole time.”
I should have ignored her. I should have walked out and never looked back. But that small doubt crept into my chest. My fingers tightened on the door handle before I finally turned back to her.
“What are you talking about?”
“He must have told you that he’s going to divorce me. He must have told you about his true mate that he rejected, but that’s not everything.” She sat down on the chair, her face turning pale. “He didn’t tell you what he did to her before and after he rejected her.”
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my feet
My throat clamped shut. I knew what she was doing, I knew she was trying to turn me against Ace, but refused to move. I stood there, frozen.
“Ace slept with his mate one night, and the very next day he got engaged to me,” she continued. “The girl went crazy when she found out. She tried to poison me and ended up killing my unborn pup. So Ace chained her up and sent her to the pack prison. No food, no water for days. Then he rejected her.”
My breath hitched. I felt like the air had been knocked out of my chest. How did I miss this part? Ace almost had a pup with his Luna. I hated the way that thought settled inside me. I have my son, yet knowing Ace almost had a child with her made my chest ache in a way I didn’t want to understand.
“Ace loves me,” she said firmly. “I was his first choice, and I will always be his first choice. A few days ago, in front of the elders, he chose me again. He signed a contract to never leave me.” She stepped closer, lifting her chin slightly. “The Ascension festival is in a few weeks. He will mark me there, publicly, for everyone to see.”
She leaned in, turning her neck to show me the hickey on her skin. “He was with me last night,” she added softly. “Making sweet love and promises. So whatever he told you, it was all a lie.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I managed to say, even though my voice came out weak.
“You do,” she replied. “It doesn’t matter if you spread your legs for him every time he comes here. You will only ever be a mistress, nothing more.” Her eyes were cold as she spoke. “He may like you because of what he’s getting from you. He showers you and your son with what looks like love, but it’s fake. When it comes to his pack and his kingdom, I will always be his chosen mate, his Luna.” She shook her head slowly. “Has he ever given you real stability? Does he tell you the truth about where he goes or what he does?” Her lips curled slightly. “Let me guess, he doesn’t. There’s so much you don’t know about him. That’s because he’s only using you to satisfy his untamed desires.”
“No matter what happens,” she continued, stepping closer, “I will always be his first choice. He will always come back to me. I hope you understand that.”
“Get out of my office,” I said, forcing every bit of strength I had left into my voice. My hands were shaking but I didn’t let her see it.
She picked up her purse, glancing at me one last time. “I hope you won’t keep letting him use you anymore.”
With that, she walked out, slamming the door behind her.
I slumped to the floor, hugging my knees tightly to my chest. Moon was his wife, and in every real sense of it, I was nothing but a mistress, a hidden secret he kept on the side. He chose her first and he would always choose her, no matter what he said to me. Tears pooled in my eyes and I stopped holding them back, letting them fall freely.
I somehow managed to get through the rest of the day on autopilot. I went to Leslie’s office and told her I would be leaving for London that same night. She didn’t ask any questions. She just looked at me and nodded. She understood without me having to explain a single thing, and I was grateful for that.
I packed our bags quietly and left with Liam for the airport. I didn’t look back.
I had been a fool for far too long. I had been a fool for my mate who rejected me, and I had been a fool for Ace too. It was time I stopped.
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Chapter 63
Chapter 63
ACE’S POV
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
