*** Preston ***
Amber is busy moving her stuff into my apartment and I couldn’t be happier. We mated and marked each other last night and tomorrow we will have our official Mating Ceremony and then when we do the traditional shift into wolf forms, our wolves will complete the whole process by also mating and marking each other. I can hardly believe after all this time and turmoil, this is finally happening.
I told her I still wanted to marry her but she explained that humans have more legal loopholes such as declaring our intention and giving others the chance to object. So, it will take longer to plan. I explained that I would wait forever and that I wanted to give her the world.
When we came down to breakfast this morning holding hands and sporting our new marks, everyone gave us a rapturous applause. I knew Amber was nervous and she hates showing vulnerability, but she did brilliantly, even kissing me in front of our appreciative audience.
One of the women from her protest group even came to congratulate us and commented to Amber that she put up a valiant effort, but the Moon Goddess was too powerful to defy. I smiled with pride when Amber replied, “The truth is, Ruth, I love Preston too much. This is so much more than the bond the Moon Goddess blessed us with. It always was and always will be.”
Aiden called this morning and I organised a change of guard and sent a car to pick him up. He sounded so happy and content, I don’t think we will be waiting long for his own Mating Ceremony, and then we will also get our long-awaited Luna.
Amber has hair and make-up appointments in place for tomorrow, she is going this afternoon to see our top seamstress to get a dress made.
I will wear my traditional warrior uniform as is custom in our pack. The black, grey and red uniform is symbolic of our army. The epaulettes show my high rank, with Amber being of a similar rank and Aiden being the only person with a higher rank in our pack. The medals display my achievements in battle and recognition for my superior strength and ability in supporting my Alpha and my pack. It is a mark of pride and respect, and I can think of nothing better to wear on the best day of my life.
My parents celebrated almost as hard as me when I told them we were having our ceremony after all. My mother actually cried, it was so sweet. And in place of Amber’s absent mother, my own had offered to stand for Amber and help her with all the traditional aspects on the day. That really choked me up and even though I thought I loved my mother to capacity, I loved her a little bit more and respected her so much more for showing my love such care.
As Aiden gets out of the car in front of the house, Amber and I walk towards him hand in hand. He looks at both of our marks with approval.
“That is more like it, congratulations to the both of you. Now when can I expect nieces and nephews?” Amber’s eyes go wide, and I take mercy on her.
“Oi! Leave her alone, when we are good and ready… when can we expect nieces and nephews and our Alpha heir from you and Eva?” Amber laughs and then so does Aiden, although he leans towards me with a conspiratorial whisper.
“Hopefully very soon!” He winks and grins and I can feel his joy and contentment. I guess he took things a step further last night.
“Aiden, Preston and I are having our Mating Ceremony tomorrow, with your blessing, I hope? I was hoping you could bring your own mate?” Amber asks her brother.
“I will ask her tonight. I am going to show her where I want to live so I need your advice… where can we live? Bear in mind that we have Summer to think of too,” he replies, deep in thought.
“Are you going to stay in the packhouse?” I ask him. The thought of Eva and her human daughter living in the packhouse feels so strange. I don’t know if a human has ever lived in our packhouse? We are werewolves, we live in packs as one big family, but for someone like Eva I think that might be overwhelming.
“I think I need to at least try to live in the packhouse with her, but I don’t think it’ll be for the best once the pups start coming.”
“Goddess’ sake Aiden she’s not a broodmare… how many pups are you planning?” Amber asks in outrage.
“I want loads, Amber. I want loads with her, and only her. I can’t wait.” My Alpha is completely besotted.
Amber turns to me. “Do not get any ideas, Preston. Two max for us… promise me now!” I am just happy she is saying yes to pups, never mind how many.
“I promise, Red, only what you’re comfortable with. Two sounds perfect.” She smiles back at me, and I register the shock on Aiden’s face at the change in his sister.
“Did you get a witch to put a spell on her or something?” he asks me as we go back inside. I can’t help but laugh. If anyone had told me a few weeks ago we would be marked and having a Mating Ceremony, I would have called them fantasists.
I didn’t realise back then that all my dreams were about to come true.
*** Ryan ***
I jump as my mobile phone starts to ring and vibrate again. I am feeling on edge. It’s a comedown side-effect from the cocaine. My supply ran out a couple of hours ago and now I’m feeling paranoid and low, as well as fucking angry thanks to that fat slag Melanie.
I ignore the phone because it’s one of my dealers and I owe him a lot of money. He’ll get it in a few days when the allowance is transferred but, in the meantime, I need to find a new dealer or find someone to go and get me a supply to keep me going.
The problem is I had to pay for this hotel, and I am broke now until Rose sends me my money. I think I am going to contact my parents and ask for money, but I’ll have to try and get my mother alone because my father is a tight asshole and he’ll just try and use it against me, as always.
My phone rings again, and I want to smash the thing up. I cannot wait to get the lump sum and be away from this toxic place. I deserve a fresh start, a new beginning.
My palms are sweating and my heart is pounding so hard it feels like it’s up into my throat. I just need a little line to see me through while I am dealing with all this anguish.
I go into one of the carrier bags that I had picked up from Mel’s and notice some new post. There is a large envelope with a solicitor’s stamp on the front.
Curious, I rip open the envelope and it tells me that Eva has started formal divorce proceedings. That fucking whore. I will make her sorry. She thinks she can just divorce me? She will regret the day she tried to get one over on me.
I start to call her, but I know I could jeopardise my money if I talk to her. Fuck! I’m going to send her a letter too. My hands start trembling so much that I can’t hold the pen. I need to get a little something for my nerves, all this aggravation from these bloody women is doing my health no good!
I will call my mother to get some money, then get my coke, then I will write a letter to Eva and tell her what I think of her.
I ring my mother but she doesn’t answer, and I scream around the room, she is such a stupid bitch! I hate her guts. I will write her a letter too; I wish I had killed her when she birthed me, the moronic idiot.
I’m going to ring Rose; she is my last resort. In fact, I’m going to demonstrate to her exactly what is going to happen if she steps out of line. I am going to send a ten second clip of one of the videos I have of her that leaves no doubt of who we are and what we are doing.
I no sooner send the clip than she calls me back.
“What the hell are you doing, Ryan? I thought we had a deal. Claude was sitting right next to me; he could have seen.” She is ranting in a high-pitched voice; this tells me she is scared senseless by the power I have over her.
“I need a grand within the hour or Claude will be getting the full video, Rosie. I am not messing around. Send it now, or I will spill.”
“Ryan, this has to stop! I have a grand but that is it. I will send it now, but I can’t send any more. You need to stop; I can’t take anymore Ryan. Please delete the videos, for god’s sake!”
As she rants on and on at me, I think back to how I got the videos in the first place.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~*~ Flashback ~*~
~~~ Seven Years Ago ~~~
“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Mrs Smith-Jones.” I hear my sickly-sweet tone as the words come out of my mouth and want to puke. I had asked Eva to marry me and move to Germany last night and I have to say I was a bit shocked when she agreed. So now, here I am, declaring my intentions to her mother and getting her to like me.
“Oh, I’m actually Mrs Duvall now, but please call me Rose. It’s nice to finally meet the famous Ryan who has swept my daughter off her feet.” She knows how to sweet talk too. I know from my conversations with Eva that this is her mother’s sixth husband, so she’s been around the block, unlike her daughter.
“Mum!” Eva shouts, her face going bright red. I do my best Prince Charming act and kiss her hand as I gently laugh at her.
“Oh, come on honey, it’s not so embarrassing anymore, I am crazy about you too and last night I asked you to be my wife.” I look at her with my best puppy dog eyes, I hope I am coming across as adoring her.
“Oh, my giddy Aunt. EVANGELINA! Why didn’t you tell me you’re getting married!” Eva rolls her eyes at her mother and her excitement.
“Why do you think we are here together now? To tell you!” she says impatiently to her mum. “And never call me that stupid name, you know I hate it!”
“Are you pregnant? Is that why…” Eva tuts loudly at her mother, who obviously doesn’t know her daughter is a frigid dick tease!
“No, Mum. I am not pregnant, for god’s sake. Ryan is being posted to Germany and we want to be together. We have to be married for that to be allowed. We are going to the registry office next week; I don’t want any fuss.”
Her mother starts arguing with her and I can see Eva starting to lose her temper. It’s the first time I have seen her show any sort of emotional range. She is normally so contained and stoic.
I pull Eva to one side. “I don’t like seeing you all upset, why don’t you go to the shop and I’ll speak to your mum?”
Eva gives me a kiss on the cheek as she leaves me alone with her mother.
“She has always been a handful, so strong minded. You’ll have to watch her with that, Ryan, she will have you running around like a chicken with no head.” Her outburst takes me by surprise. I have always found Eva to be pliable, impressionable, and naïve.
“With all due respect, Mrs Duvall, your daughter is obviously threatened by you. Now don’t get me wrong, Eva is pretty, but you are god-damn beautiful!”
I am not lying… well, not much. Eva is an absolute knockout which is why I have laid my claim on her before the other boys, so they know I had her first. However, I can see quite clearly Eva takes after her mother in a lot of ways. They are of a similar height, they are both petite but curvy, her mum more so. They have similar features. Rose’s hair has been lightened so I’m not sure if that’s the same and they have the same little nose. The only obvious difference is the eyes: Rose has hazel whereas Eva’s are blue.
Her mother gets all giggly and girly. She touches my arms several times and is quite suggestive, and I’m open to suggestions. I bet a cougar could show me a good time. I will come back when Eva is not around to see how far I can push her.
When Eva comes back, Rose apologises to her and tells her she is happy for her to be married and that she will support her anyway she can. Eva thanks me for the dramatic change in her mother. Inside, I thank both of them for showing me what was on offer for the taking.
The next day, I knew Eva was going to deregister from her university course and was going for farewell drinks with the friends she had made there, so I drive around to her mother’s house. She looks shocked but happy to see me.
“Eva’s gone out, Ryan,” she tells me seductively as she adjusts the strap on her silk top.
“Yeah, I know, I just wanted to come and talk to you, I think I could learn more about Eva from your point of view and there is something I want to talk about too.” She nods and invites me in.
Before I know it, Rose is pouring her heart out to me about her new husband missing his native country, France, and how he and Eva clash. She tells me all about Eva, her father being absent and the money he sends for her upkeep.
“You both could have had a massive wedding with the trust fund he has put aside for it, but Eva is stubborn.” My ears prick up when money is mentioned. No matter what, that is something I am interested in, and I always will be. They say money can’t buy you happiness, but they obviously haven’t tried!
“How much money?” As Rose starts reeling off the amounts, I feel myself becoming hard. Then I notice Rose’s sexy smile as she runs her hand up and down my thigh, causing my cock to twitch in anticipation. Before I know what is happening, she is on her knees in front of me, sucking me off. I rip that silk top off her and watch in awe as her pert tits wobble about while she bobs up and down on my hard dick. Then I start fantasising about Eva doing the same, will she be as skilled as her mother? Would I be able to convince them both to do it together? The possibilities are endless.
I don’t feel guilt or remorse. Her daughter has been denying me since we started dating; this is my consolation prize. As I finger her pussy and ass, I let my imagination run wild. I want a mother and daughter threesome… could I achieve it?
I knew Rose wanted me to screw her, but I held off, keeping her begging for more, I wanted her to beg for it. I wasn’t sure if I wanted her or Eva first.
Over the next week we met up every day and every time she would suck me off. I set up my dash-cam to record us when we were in my car. And one time I just took out my mobile phone and recorded her and it was a good five minutes before she realised. And when she did it was just as I shot my load into her mouth, and she jumped up and shouted my name when she realised I had been recording us.
I never did fuck her; I was so pissed off about it that I took it out on Eva on our wedding night. I fucking savaged her. But my evidence had assured Rose’s cooperation, she was instructed to move to the south of France with her drip of a husband and I kept her away from Eva, making sure she never told her daughter and kept that gravy train flowing through my bank accounts. She would sporadically turn up in the UK and each time, I would eventually end up in her mouth again. She couldn’t resist me.
~*~ End of Flashback ~*~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I laugh as I watch the video clip again, my cum dripping off her lips as her tits bounce up and down. That clip secured the trust fund for Eva’s wedding straight into my bank account, as well as a monthly allowance of ten grand and a cool quarter of a million that will be mine in a few short weeks.
I don’t know who Eva’s father was, but he was a flash bastard, and I was just happy to put his money to good use. It was the least he could do, really.
I wonder what Eva would do if she did find out? Maybe she would be filled with jealousy and end this fling with the big fella, wanting me instead, I could play with her some more and then drop her like a tonne of bricks all over again because no matter what, her, her brat, her mother, none of them are stopping the inevitable. I am leaving soon for a fresh start away from this miserable shower of shite.
*** Eva ***
I open the door when the bell rings and although I want to be a bitch to Melanie, I know she has been manipulated too. I hope her experience with Ryan hasn’t been as challenging as my own. I guess I feel sorry for her but at the same time I know that me moving forward with my own life and finding my happiness with Aiden has made a massive difference in my approach to the breakdown of my marriage. It has given me something to look forward to and something to believe in. After marrying Ryan, everything seemed bleak and futile. Now my future is full of promise.
“Hi,” she says, and that’s a clear sign that she is feeling nervous because gone is the brazen loudmouth and, in her place, stands a broken woman.
“Come in, do you want tea or coffee?” She blanches and I wonder what could have caused such a change in her.
“Tea, please, I can’t stomach coffee at the moment.”
I invite her into my dining room where I have laid the table ready for guests. This had been for my mother, but she called and said she couldn’t come and see me after all, Claude had a fall and broke his ankle and she had to stay home and look after him.
“Why are you here, Melanie?” I need to get this done, I feel uncomfortable, and I want to call Aiden and tell him to come back because I miss him so much already.
“I firstly wanted to apologise for my behaviour. I acted completely immorally and selfishly, and it was easy for me to see no wrong in my actions because I had been with Ryan first, albeit in a secretive fashion. I know now that I was wrong, I should have respected that he chose you, he married you and I had no right to interfere with that.” She pauses and takes a deep breath, like it took all of her energy to get that out.
“Thank you. Look, Mel, I know first-hand how manipulative and nasty Ryan can be. He was the one who made a commitment to me, not you, and although on a moral ground you should have respected my marriage, it’s Ryan who broke his vows to me.” I start to feel concerned when I see the uncontrolled tears flowing down her face as I finish speaking.
“I’ve been such an idiot, Eva. You see, Ryan and I had been together for years. I loved him, but I was always his dirty little secret. To be honest, I was so jealous of you, the way you had captured his attention and his love. But then Ryan would always come back to me and tell me how it wasn’t real, it was part of a bet; he was trying to get one over on Luke.”
I instantly think back to that night, the night Ryan turned up at the restaurant instead of Luke and how Luke became cool and distant with me despite setting me up with his best friend. Now I know why. He hadn’t set me and Ryan up; Ryan stitched him up and used me to do it.
“What else did he tell you?” I need to know everything now; I need to lay all this to rest so I can look to the future with Aiden and leave that scumbag behind.
“The Leavers Ball… He told me he was going to tell you it was all a bluff at The Leavers Ball, he promised he would be going home with me. However, once I got there, he told me he felt he had a chance to ‘pop your cherry’ so he was leaving with you instead. He came to me the next day and said nothing happened and you meant nothing to him.”
That night was one of the few positive memories I had of Ryan, and now it is tainted too. I brace myself as she continues.
“We continued to sleep together and then a few weeks later, you both walked into the pub and announced you had got married and were moving to Germany. I slept with him a couple more times after that and then we obviously didn’t see each other again until you moved back from Germany.”
They slept together while we dated and even straight after we married. He really did use me; our marriage was a sham from the very start. Rage builds up inside me as I realise how thoroughly I have been played.
“So, when we moved back, you just shacked back up together?” I know I sound super hostile, but I feel so hurt that I have been beating myself up when he had married me to get in my pants… what sort of a weirdo freak is he?!
Melanie shakes her head at me. “I was still with my ex, I had two children within a year of each other and then Ryan walked back in. My relationship was going down the pan, I had postnatal depression and was being a shit mother and when Ryan walked back in, it was like he had never been away. I felt like a teenager again. This was just before you told him you were pregnant, and he said you had gotten pregnant on purpose to trap him.”
“To trap him? We were married! Summer was a surprise, but we had promised to love and cherish each other for a lifetime. Why would I need to trap him?”
Melanie holds her hands up. “Back then it was easier for me to accept that you had tried to trap him because he was telling me he wanted us to be together, but he could leave you while you were pregnant. I know now that he is a lying, cheating, manipulative and sadistic scumbag.”
“What changed your mind?” It seems like a quick turnaround from someone who was happily being fucked by my husband on my living room floor a few days ago.
She holds up a white plastic wand for me to see. “This did.” A closer look reveals Melanie has a positive pregnancy test in her hand. “And this.” She places a letter on the table and slides it across to me.
I feel sick after reading Ryan’s letter. There is no doubt it is his, I’d recognise his untidy writing anywhere.
“I told him, and he basically flipped. I chose my baby over him and he sent this. And now, I am willing to be completely honest about everything Ryan has ever done or said. I also come here begging that my child can eventually get to know Summer, so they have a link to where they came from. There is also one more reason I am here, and I am so scared to discuss this with you, Eva. I am so scared because of my own involvement in it.”
I watch as she pulls out a large pile of correspondence and sets it in front of me. The letters have my name on them but not my address. I can see from the envelope that they are from the bank that my mortgage is with.
“What on earth is happening, Melanie? They’re my letters. Why are my letters going to your address?” Anger and alarm is growing in her eyes, the same as it is inside me.
“Ryan told me that you wouldn’t divorce him because he owned this house. He also told me that you left him destitute and that he had savings that you had taken and hidden and wouldn’t give him access to. At the time, I really believed him. One day he was completely broke, and he came to see me and explained that you had taken every penny off him. He said he needed to release money from the house to get by but you didn’t want him to have anything.”
Each word is more unbelievable than the last, yet I don’t doubt it for a second. It seems there is no lie Ryan wouldn’t tell.
“He had me pose as you and sign some forms to release equity from your home and have all correspondence sent to my address because you were crazy. I think he lied to me and used me to rinse you, Eva. I am so sorry I fell for his lies.”
My blood runs cold as I take in what she’s saying. What else has that son of a bitch done now? I feel like he continues to try and hurt me in the most humiliating of ways, doing things I could never even dream of.
As I open the first letter, my hands shake. My home is being repossessed in two weeks’ time. My baby’s home. As I continue to open the letters, I am overwhelmed by the extent of the damage that bastard has caused. He hasn’t only released the equity in my house he has taken several secured loans out against it too. I begin to total up in my head.
“He’s released all the equity, over £150,000 and then a further £60,000 in secured loans… my house is going to be repossessed. Summer’s home, I can’t believe this. I will kill him!”
I look over at Melanie as she openly weeps, and despite everything, I feel sorry for her.
“Don’t cry, Mel, it’s not good for the baby if you get upset or worked up.”
“I’m so frightened, Eva. He’s left me with nothing and I’m pregnant, what will happen to my baby if I get sent to prison? I’m so sorry, this isn’t why I am here, but this is a shock to me too, he was constantly broke and borrowing money off me. Last night I had dealers knocking on my door demanding their money.”
Dealers? What the hell? I don’t think I can take anymore. “What dealers, Mel?”
Mel looks shocked at my question and right at that moment Summer comes to sit on my knee, alarmed by the lady crying.
“I thought you knew. He is in debt up to his eyeballs; he has a bad addiction to the white powder.” I know she is trying to be diplomatic because Summer is listening, but I need clear answers.
“Summer, be a good girl for Mummy and tidy up your toys.” My little girl obediently goes to tidy away her books and babas.
“White powder, Mel? What are you talking about?” Now she does look confused.
“Eva, this is the whole reason he was discharged from the army unceremoniously. He tested positive for cocaine and he hasn’t stopped since he became a civilian again; in fact, he is ten times worse now. He is snorting hundreds of pounds worth of cocaine every day.”
Everything after that seems like a blur. Mel talks some more but my brain cannot hold any more rot about Ryan. She apologises profusely several times but then agrees to help me take him down and I promise to plead for leniency on her behalf.
I try to call Ryan several times but as usual he doesn’t answer, which is probably for the best considering the fury I feel towards him. He has snorted the security I have tried to create for my child, for her present as well as her future. He is toxic; he destroys everything he touches with his poison, and now I am finally going to destroy him.
I call the bank who put me through to the fraud department, I explain the situation to the call handler and he advises me to ring back once this is all reported appropriately to the police. I have to call the non-urgent number and it takes the best part of two hours to get everything logged. When I call the bank back, I am disappointed with their lack of enthusiasm to help me.
“Mrs Jefferson, I regret that this has happened to you, but the papers have been signed and I think you will struggle to get back what you believe to be yours in the time you have.” I want to scream. This isn’t my fault. Why did they let him keep taking money out of it and get loans too?